I've been buying "sweet" onions since Isaac came - they're lower in that sulfurous business and therefore less ferocious. I have a horror that not only will I be crying my eyes out, but we'll have a wee infant with chemical burns in his eyes. The horror!
Walla Wallas, Aztec Sweets and Vidalias are all great raw, but they do taste a bit different in cooked dishes than do the classic yellow or white onions. But Brian don't know the diff so I'm sticking wit this until we have company! Which will be about two minutes til NEVER. Haw!
PS - I agree with the glasses thing and have found that contacts will buy you a bit more time before you're standing over the sink, wiping your eyes with a wet paper towels and racooning your sockets with mascara.