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Hey friends! I hope everyone had a fun, safe 4th of July holiday weekend. If you're like me you were out in the sun the majority of the weekend enjoying the beach, water and/or weather.
As I'm sure you know the summer sun is pretty toasty and can reek havoc on your body now and in the future if it isn't properly protected when outside. Besides properly applying sunscreen, one of the most important things you can do is to wear sunglasses. It may seem obvious, but according to a study by VSP Vision Care, 68 percent of adults wear sunglasses outdoors but less than 30 percent of children wear them. So if you're around little ones make sure they've got a pair of shades on too.
VSP optometrist Dr. Leanne Liddicoat says "the sun contains a wide spectrum of radiation, such as ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, which damage the eyes the same way they damage the skin. However, much of the damage the sun causes can be prevented simply by wearing a pair of sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays". They also say that UVA and UVB rays can cause cataracts and macular degeneration, and are believed to cause melanomas (cancerous growths both inside and around the eyes), all of which can cause blindness. Um.. scary! Since UV damage is cumulative over time, start early and protect children from the sun.
Wearing sunglasses is important, but making sure your shades are actually protecting you is even more important. When purchasing glasses look for these important factors:
• 100% UVA and UVB protection.
• Polarized lenses that cut down on glare coming from horizontal surfaces such as
lakes, rivers, oceans and beaches.
• Sunglasses for children that have a strap that keeps them secure on their face and keeps
them from getting lost.
As I'm sure you know the summer sun is pretty toasty and can reek havoc on your body now and in the future if it isn't properly protected when outside. Besides properly applying sunscreen, one of the most important things you can do is to wear sunglasses. It may seem obvious, but according to a study by VSP Vision Care, 68 percent of adults wear sunglasses outdoors but less than 30 percent of children wear them. So if you're around little ones make sure they've got a pair of shades on too.
VSP optometrist Dr. Leanne Liddicoat says "the sun contains a wide spectrum of radiation, such as ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, which damage the eyes the same way they damage the skin. However, much of the damage the sun causes can be prevented simply by wearing a pair of sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays". They also say that UVA and UVB rays can cause cataracts and macular degeneration, and are believed to cause melanomas (cancerous growths both inside and around the eyes), all of which can cause blindness. Um.. scary! Since UV damage is cumulative over time, start early and protect children from the sun.
Wearing sunglasses is important, but making sure your shades are actually protecting you is even more important. When purchasing glasses look for these important factors:
• 100% UVA and UVB protection.
• Polarized lenses that cut down on glare coming from horizontal surfaces such as
lakes, rivers, oceans and beaches.
• Sunglasses for children that have a strap that keeps them secure on their face and keeps
them from getting lost.
VSP recently launched a new webisode video starring Dr. Liddicoat which discusses how you can protect your eyes when outdoors.
Check it out:
I ALWAYS wear sunglasses outside, I can't stand to be without them.
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