Question, for those who have gone through the new scanning machines.

[pnwmom]

Are you allowed to wear eyeglasses? I'd like to wear my prescription sunglasses in case it might help to protect my eyes.

Otherwise, I guess I'd opt for the body search. After having three children and countless pap smears and mammograms, I can't get all that worked up about the idea of some "groping" through my clothes.

[frazzled]

1. I wore my eyeglasses, wristwatch, earrings, and a bracelet

It was no particular big deal, and no, I wasn't patted down. (Though I have been on several occasions prior to this new system being in place.)

[Tesha]

2. What exactly do you think your prescription sunglasses will protect you from...

...that ordinary glasses won't?

Tesha

[pnwmom]

5. I read somewhere that the radiation from the scan could put the cornea at risk.

Good sunglasses (including prescription sunglasses) do protect from some types of radiation. People like me who are susceptible to melanoma are supposed to wear them all the time. I have no idea how these scans work, but it's easy enough to wear sunglasses, if there's any chance they might offer some protection.

[LisaL]

7. I have no idea if the glasses will protect the eyes.

How much is known about safety of these machines anyway?

"Their letter to Holdren said "it appears that real independent safety data do not exist." In addition, the authors say: "There has not been sufficient review of the intermediate and long-term effects of radiation exposure associated with airport scanners. There is good reason to believe that these scanners will increase the risk of cancer to children and other vulnerable populations.""

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20022541-281.html#ixzz15mH5VXxT

[pnwmom]

8. Thanks for the link. And he's not just "some scientist" either, is he?

Being a member of the National Academy of Science is an honor awarded by his peers -- which means he's very well respected in his field.

I have no idea whether the radiation coming from these machines would have the same effect as that coming from the sun -- and from which sunglasses offer some protection. But if I had to do one of these scans, I think I'd rather play it safe and wear the glasses -- rather than hear 10 years down the line that that would have been a good idea.

OTOH, I'll probably ask for the pat-down search. At my age, after all the pushing, probing, and prodding I've had from medical procedures over the years, a pat-down through my clothing doesn't seem like that big a deal. (But if they tell me I have to have a special mammogram to get on a plane, that's the end of flying for me!)

[Tesha]

9. Your eyeglasses (any eyeglasses, sun or not) will filter most of the ultraviolet...

...light that causes melanoma. Sunglasses will help protect
your eyes from intense visible light, and right now, that's
believed to be a good thin for preserving your vision in
the long-term.

But X-Rays are an entirely-different kind of light from visible
lihjt or near-ultraviolet light and there's no way to relate the
amount of visible light absorbed by sunglasses to the amount
of X-rays absorbed by sunglasses. My slightly-informed guess
is that acrylic or polycarbonate glasses would have almost no
effect on the X-rays and glass glasses (does anyone still wear
those?) would absorb very few X-rays.

And wearing shades would attract unwanted attention from
the TSA.

Tesha

[pnwmom]

6. dupe

[liberal N proud]

3. The rules are as inconsistent as the rest of the security process

At some airports you have to empty your pockets of everything, including your wallet and any paper you may have while others you leave it all where it is.

If the process was really there to protect us, there would be consistency from airport to airport.

[riderinthestorm]

4. I went through them in Europe and wore my glasses

and some jewelry. They never said anything.