UV and sunglasses: How to protect your eyes
You probably know that too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause sunburn and skin cancer. But did you know UV also can harm your eyes? Extended exposure to the sun’s UV rays has been linked to significant eye conditions such as: cataracts, macular degeneration, pinguecula, pterygium and photokeratitis. To protect your eyes from UV radiation, you should wear sunglasses that block 100 percent of UV rays whenever you are outdoors- even on cloudy days because the sun’s damaging UV rays can penetrate cloud cover. Sunglass frames with a wraparound style provide the best protection because they limit how much sunlight reaches your eyes from all sides. We offer many styles for you to choose from to provide you with the best protection from brands you can trust such as Ray Ban.
Don’t forget the kids!
Children need UV protection beyond sunscreen. The risk of damage to eyes from UV radiation builds up, accumulating with exposure. Early protection from the sun can prevent problems from developing later on which is why it’s especially important to protect your child’s eyes from the sun. Children generally spend much more time outdoors than adults and are more susceptible to eye damage from UV rays because the lens inside their eye is clearer, enabling more UV to penetrate deep into the eye.
Sunglasses: your best protection against UV
To best protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays, always wear good quality sunglasses when you are outdoors. Look for sunglasses that block 100 percent of all UV rays. We can help you choose the best sunglass lenses for your needs. Large lenses or a close-fitting wraparound style provide the best protection. The amount of UV protection sunglasses provide is unrelated to the color and darkness of the lenses so you can’t judge protection by the light filtering properties of the lens.
Prescription sunglasses
While most eyeglass lenses now have UV protection built in there are some that require a coating. The issue may be the brightness which isn’t filtered out and can make it difficult to drive or read. You can see if prescription sunglasses are an option or you can get photochromic lenses for your glasses which adjust to the light.
Be sure to pick up your protective eyewear today!
