Donated glasses ease miners' day in the sun
After weeks underground in Chile, eyes need special protection.
NEW YORK - The sometimes tear-filled eyes of rescued miners in Chile are being shielded by a type of Oakley sunglasses designed to minimize heavy glare.
The single-lens shield is a wraparound style. Using the darkest lens with a gray base and black iridium coating should help the miners' eyes adjust to bright light after their pupils have been dilated for so long, the California company said in a statement.
The glasses, which retail for $180, are typically used for high-performance sports, such as biking and skiing, because they also minimize ultraviolet light.
The biggest eye concern for the miners after they reach the surface is possible light damage to the retina, said Andrew Hartwick, assistant professor at the College of Optometry at Ohio State University. There is potential for solar retinopathy, in which the photoreceptors - the cells within the eye that capture light - can deteriorate, he said.
After a person has been in the dark for a long period, the mechanisms by which the retina protects itself against damage from bright light can diminish. Hartwick said he was unsure whether lighting levels in the mine were low enough to cause risk upon returning to the surface; the miners spent 69 days deep underground after a cave-in.
Regardless of any medical consequences, there is a comfort factor for the miners in wearing sunglasses, Hartwick said.
"Just like when you walk out of a dark movie theater, it's uncomfortable in the light," he said. "It takes a few minutes for vision to return, and the retina needs to reset itself depending on light levels."
"Oakley is honored to have assisted Chilean authorities in the rescue operation for the trapped miners," said Carlos Reyes, the company's vice president of research and development. The goal is to give them "the best possible vision" as their eyes return to normal.
Journalist Jonathan Franklin, who is covering the disaster and rescue in Chile, contacted Oakley about donating sunglasses.
No modifications were made to the Radar glasses sent to the miners, though Oakley included two lens shapes to accommodate different facial contours.
Many agencies and companies around the world contributed expertise or products related to the rescue, ranging from a high-calorie liquid diet, donated by NASA, to suppress motion sickness in the miners as they ascended, to iPods donated by Apple, which the miners were to receive after emerging. Gifts for families donated by unions, companies, and individuals have ranged from food and clothing to sexy lingerie, wine, toys, and children's Halloween costumes.
