Summer is upon us! Many people will now be outside trying to soak up as much of the warm weather and sunshine as we can. While outdoors, most people will remember to protect their skin from the sun either by covering up or by applying sunblock but have you ever thought about protecting your eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays?
The sun can wreak havoc on your eyes. From increasing your odds of developing cataracts to issues like pterygium and pingueculum. However, that is not the only thing the sun can do, did you know your eyes can get sunburned as well as your skin? The sunlight that bounces off reflective surfaces such as water or sand and even snow can cause your eyes to become sunburned. Now you can probably see (no pun intended) why protecting your eyes from the sun and harmful UV rays are so vital for the health of your eyes.
A good pair of sunglasses can help block the sun from your eyes as well as protecting them from the harmful UV rays, but how can you tell which sunglasses will be best for you? We have put together a list of helpful things to look for in your sunglasses before you make a purchase, to ensure your eyes will be protected.
- Look for sunglasses that will block out 99-100% of the harmful sun rays, such as UVA and UVB radiation. You also want the sunglasses to block out 75-90% of visible light. There are more expensive sunglasses on the market that will block out 100% of the sun’s UV rays.
- Before making your purchases, inspect the sunglasses. Be sure the lenses are intact and not discoloured in any way; both of these signs can decrease the effectiveness of the sunglasses.
- Many sunglasses will distort the colours of the world you see, but with grey coloured lenses you won’t have this issue. The grey coloured lenses will provide you with a natural colour vision.
The most important thing you must remember when purchasing sunglasses is the UVA and UVB protection because those are the rays that can do the most damage to your eyes. Do not forget to purchase good sunglasses for everyone in the family, including the little ones – their eyes are more sensitive and will need protection as well.