[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 104 (Tuesday, July 7, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1001]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IN RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL SUNGLASSES DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 7, 2015

  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National 
Sunglasses Day and to honor the sunglass manufacturers and suppliers 
throughout my Dallas Congressional District, the State of Texas and 
around the country. Texas and the Dallas area are home to a variety of 
optical industry leaders including 24 optical laboratories that 
manufacture prescription sun wear, 3 lens manufacturers that supply UV 
filtering lenses, and 6 sun wear frame suppliers. As a physician, I 
commend the sunglass industry and their trade association The Vision 
Council (TVC) for ongoing outreach campaigns to educate consumers 
regarding the damaging effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays to the eye and 
healthy vision.
   In the case of eye protection, what you don't know can hurt you. 
When it comes to the human eye and the sun's rays, it's what we can't 
see that matters most. UV radiation that reaches the earth's surface, 
made up of two types of invisible rays, UVA and UVB, endangers an 
unprotected eye. The effects of long-term exposure can include 
cataracts, macular degeneration, abnormal growths on the eye's surface 
and even cancer of the eye. While everyone should shield their eyes 
from UV rays, certain risk factors like age and eye color increase an 
individual's vulnerability to UV related eye disorders. Where you live 
and travel can also make a big difference in the level of UV exposure. 
Since UV damage can't be reversed, prevention through protection is 
key.
   Later this summer, sunglass manufacturers and distributors from my 
home district in Texas and The Vision Council (TVC) will be convening a 
Capitol Hill briefing on the topic of UV danger and protecting your eye 
health. I encourage my colleagues to attend and applaud the sunglass 
community and The Vision Council for their leadership in promoting 
healthy vision.

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