Escanaba Beach Director Eric Sullivan wears sunglasses to help cut down on the glare from the water. (Daily Press file photo)

The following piece was published in the Daily Press on July 3, 1996.

ESCANABA — To shade or not to shade. That is the summer question.

Sunglasses have evolved into a popular outdoor accessory, a combination of function and glamour.

But are they really necessary to protect your eyes from the hazards of the sun?

“With the ozone layer thinning, or even if the ozone layer isn’t thinning, there are a lot of ultraviolet rays out there,” said Optometrist Alfred Gossan. “People are outdoors so much in the summer and the winter. If you get too much exposure to the sun, it causes cataracts and a breakdown of the retinal tissue in the back of the eye.”

Gossan feels that everyone, including children, should wear sunglasses if they are going to be outside.

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