GEtYourShades on

Ultraviolet Rays and Sunglasses: How to keep your eyes safe

The same sunlight that has been credited to be the major source of Vitamin D, can also play evil in the form of Ultraviolet Rays. Sunlight is the main source of UV rays that can cause numeros skin problems including skin cancer. Even though Uv rays make up a very small portion of sun rays but a continuous exposure to these may lead to severe problems.

It’s not just skin that is at risk because of these UV rays but also our eyes. These rays are of two types; UV-A ( affects the central vision by impairing macula) and UV-B (effects cornea and lens). A prolonged exposure to sun rays can cause the following eye problems,

  • Cataract: Clouding of the eye’s natural lens
  • Macular degeneration: Leading cause of vision loss for older people.
  • Pterygium: An unnatural growth on the white of the eye that may exceed to cornea and may block vision.
  • Corneal Sunburn: Improper eye protection at beach and during skiing can cause this problem. It is very painful and can cause temporary vision loss.

How sunglasses come as a saviour during long sunny days:

To best protect your skin, sunscreen( with an SPF of 15+) can come handy. But what about the most delicate part of our body; EYES. Well, a good pair of sunglasses with excellent lens quality can do the job.

Ask your optician to suggest shades lenses that block the UV rays and keeps your eyes cool. Moreover to protect the delicate skin around your eyes, try sunglasses with large lenses ( which looks extremely stylish by the way) or the one with wraparound style, having a tight fit to leave as minimal place as possible for the rays to enter.

Also if you are involved into activities that may require prolonged exposure or the high short-term exposure to sun rays, you might want to consider various sports sunglasses to reduce the risk during your outdoor activities.

Always refer to your optician before investing into good pair of shades.

In addition to sunglasses, wearing a wide-brimmed hat on sunny days can do wonders in blocking the nasty sun rays.

So next time you are planning to go for a walk in sun, consider the following tips to enjoy a healthy vision:

  1. Not all sunglasses block 100 percent UV rays, and the local ones definitely don’t. So, if you are unsure about the amount of UV rays that your shades are blocking, visit any professional optician and get it checked under a spectrophotometer, that can measure the amount of visible light and U rays that your lenses are blocking.
  2. Do not take off your sunglasses even when you are in shade. Though the amount of UV exposure has reduced but your eyes are still at a risk of getting affected by rays reflected from buildings, trees and other surfaces.
  3. Remember to carry your sunglasses especially in Winter, because snow can reflect as much as 80 percent of the UV rays. Thus, using a proper pair of shades during ski and other snow activities is a must.
  4. People with dark complexion are less susceptible to Skin cancer but they still need to wear sunglasses to protect the delicate part of their skin as a risk to developing eye issues is as much as of a fairer person.

Keeping these tips in mind, go out and worry not about the scorching sun as a pair of good shades and enough SPF equipped cream is all you need to conquer the sun.

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