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"Virus Hoax:
Urband Legend Example"
Virus Hoax Warnings: Page 19
of 57
Sunscreen Causes Blindness
June 1999
The following hoax claims that getting sunscreen in your eyes causes
blindness. This claim is debunked by the American Academy of
Ophthalmology in
http://www.eyenet.org/member/comm/media_relations/99/sunscreen.html.
Subject: Fwd: WARNING: WATERPROFF SUNSCREEN LOTION
If you have kids....This is a most read! Sunscreen danger.
To my friends with children or soon to have children....this was passed
on to me by my best friend who works for Boeing in Seattle, his own true
story...FYI
I wanted to tell you a story about a very serious thing. We still use
sunscreen on our whole family, but we are more cautious now. I tell you
this only to make you more aware and use caution. When Zack was 2 years
old, I put on the waterproof sun screen like I always had. I don't know
how but he got some in his eyes. Most likely from his hands. It happens
so easily at that age or any age really. He started screaming!!! So I
tried to flush it out with water. But guess what? Didn't matter...
Remember *WATERPROOF.* So I just held him and let he cry, thinking the
salty tears would flush it all out. But it got worse. I called the
poison control center. They told me to RUSH Zack to ER NOW!!! I was
surprised. I got him there and they rushed me back without a second to
spare. They started flushing his eyes out with special medications.
Anyway, I found out for the first time that MANY kids each year lose
their sight to waterproof sun screen. It burns the eye and they lose
complete sight!!! I was appalled. I could not believe the sun screen
we use to help keep our kids safe from skin cancer can make them go
blind!
Well, I made a big stink about it. I wrote the sun screen company and
they admitted to the problem but they said something to the fact that
the seriousness of getting skin cancer is much worse then the chance of
going blind. I think it's wrong if just one child goes blind!
They should change ingredients or should at least have a huge warning on
it. But they claim that if you put a huge warning on it then parents
won't use it due to fear. I kind-of get that but there needs to be a
change. We did this huge article in our big city and went on the news
warning parents. Education along with the importance of using it. Well,
anyway, Zack did go blind for 2 days, it was horrible. So please be
careful!!! Don't stop using sun screen, just be very careful your
children don't touch there eyes for at least 15-20 minutes after you put
it on! And if your child does get it in his/her eyes, then get to the
emergency room at once!
***PASS THIS WARNING ON!!!*** <>
Copyright 2004 by Jay Jennings
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