Pirate's Cove

They really can’t help themselves (via Tom Nelson)

(HuffPo) Two years ago, retired teacher Vera started experiencing eye discomfort, irritation and crusting of the eyelids. She was prescribed a short course of antibiotics for what her doctor suspected was a simple eye infection, but several months later she was still having problems.

“My eyes felt constantly gritty and dry, and my lids were red and flaky. I was treated for a range of eye conditions, but nothing seemed to make a difference,” says Vera.

Many trips to eye specialists later, she was diagnosed with chronic blepharitis, an inflammation of the eyelid, of unknown cause. And, after trial and error with different treatments, she now has a routine that keeps her discomfort and pain in check. However, some days her eyes flare up for no apparent reason: “I just wish I knew why I keep getting this,” she says.

It may be difficult to pin Vera’s symptoms to global warming, but scientists all over the world agree that increased levels of ultraviolet radiation reaching the surface of the Earth, resulting from ozone depletion at high altitude, and a toxic mix of air pollutants are responsible for serious eye disorders.

In order to validate this notion, some scientists are conducting a survey of people who spend time outdoors. Too bad there’s no control group which considers past eye health.

Scientists also believe that the rise in global temperature attributed to the greenhouse effect of global warming can be linked directly to some eye conditions, and that airborne pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide, soot and dust, can cause dry eyes, irritation and visual impairment.

They can believe all they want: can they prove it? Let’s save them the trouble. No, they can’t. All they can do is make an inference based on circular logic and fantasy.