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tawadi

(2,110 posts) Fri Feb 10, 2012, 11:11 PM Feb 2012

Astronaut feels space's toll on his body

Astronaut feels space's toll on his body

February 10th, 2012

08:59 AM ET

It’s not really why he signed up to be an astronaut, but like it or not, Mike Barratt and his eyes have become a science project.

The eye charts he reads, the red drops that turn his eyes yellow and the ultrasounds being performed on him could determine whether he or any other astronaut ever journeys into deep space or sets foot on other worlds.

NASA’s new priority is how to protect astronauts from going blind on the years-long trip to get wherever they are going.

http://lightyears.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/10/astronaut-feels-spaces-toll-on-his-body/?hpt=hp_c1

5 replies

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Highlight:

Astronaut feels space's toll on his body (Original Post) tawadi Feb 2012 OP

fascinating! pnwest Feb 2012 #1

I thought so. eom tawadi Feb 2012 #4

I never left the earth and my eyes are going bad. 1620rock Feb 2012 #2

I could read tiny, tiny print until just about the age of 50. trackfan Feb 2012 #3

We can fix this ThoughtCriminal Feb 2012 #5

pnwest

(3,266 posts)

1. fascinating!

Reply to tawadi (Original post)

Sat Feb 11, 2012, 12:38 AM

Feb 2012

tawadi

(2,110 posts)

4. I thought so. eom

Reply to pnwest (Reply #1)

Sat Feb 11, 2012, 03:47 PM

Feb 2012

1620rock

(2,218 posts)

2. I never left the earth and my eyes are going bad.

Reply to tawadi (Original post)

Sat Feb 11, 2012, 01:34 AM

Feb 2012

trackfan

(3,650 posts)

3. I could read tiny, tiny print until just about the age of 50.

Reply to tawadi (Original post)

Sat Feb 11, 2012, 02:04 AM

Feb 2012

I'm talking the "secret" writing on money, and things like that. Other people my age told me I was lucky, but that when the loss of nearsightedness/onset of farsightedness comes, it can come very quickly; and it did. I'm 52, and in a very short time have now come to the point where I have to hold papers far away from my face, and can't see any small print, especially in the dark, etc. I would think the effects on astronauts might be more noteworthy if it happened to them in their 30s.

ThoughtCriminal

(14,057 posts)

5. We can fix this

Reply to tawadi (Original post)

Sat Feb 11, 2012, 05:22 PM

Feb 2012

Solution has been around for a while.

(art: Chesley Bonestell)

Costs a little more though.

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