During this summer we want you to have tons of fun in the sun but you have to protect those eyes!
You may already know that too much exposure to UV light can do a number on your skin, causing problems like wrinkles and even melanomas.
But you also need to know that too much time in the sun can increase your risk for several eye diseases and disorders. Cataracts, macular degeneration and pterygiums — also known as “surfer’s eye” — are just a few of the vision problems that can be caused or aggravated by too much exposure to harmful UV rays — including both UVA and UVB light.
And because most of the sun damage to our eyes happens before we are 18, make sure your children are protected to reduce their risk of eye problems. Sun protection is very important for all ages!
How Do You Protect Your Eyes from UV Exposure?
Just like a good sunscreen helps your skin, the right pair of sunglasses can shield your eyes from the worst the sun has to offer.
There are many options when it comes to protecting your eyes from UV light:
- CrizalⓇ non-glare lenses combine clear vision and durability with advanced UV protection.
- Polarized sunglasses can help you see well in situations with high glare by greatly reducing directional light. They are a must-have for any serious angler, and anyone taking part in outdoor activities — especially lake adventures and other water sports — will benefit from polarized lenses.
- You can also add TransitionsⓇ to any pair of glasses which allows your lenses to darken outside and clear up once you go back inside. A variety of colors are available and there is now an option that even gets dark when you’re driving.
- Even in your normal everyday prescription eyeglasses, you can still have sun protection. The main non-glare treatment we use has a built-in backside UV protective layer. Also, some lens materials like polycarbonate and Trivex have UV protection built in as well.
- Did you know you can even get some contact lenses with built-in UV protection? These special UV contacts protect your eyes from the radiation that gets through the sides of your sunglasses, decreasing the amount of harmful UV rays that reach your eyes.
UV sunglasses can be done in prescription and non-prescription. Tints can be done in full or gradient tints.
A little warning about those cheap gas station sunglasses: If they don’t have true or full UVA/UVB protection, they could be doing more harm than good to your eyes.
Why? Because a dark lens can make your pupil get bigger — letting even more harmful rays of light into your eye to cause more damage. Make sure you have optical quality lenses to protect those eyes completely!
At Springfield Family Vision, we have a variety of styles and frames to choose from in-house, so contact us or just stop by at any time to ask about the right sunglasses for you!
