It’s National Sunglasses Day! All About Eyes supports The Vision Council’s dedicated day — June 27 — for wearing sunglasses to shade your eyes from the sun’s damaging effects. While this day raises awareness about the importance of sunglasses, people should wear them all year to protect their eyes.
Summer brings out the urge to be outside. Whether you’re heading to the beach, pool, or playing sports like golf and tennis, enjoying the warmer weather outside feels good after months of being cooped up in winter. But being outside exposes us to the sun’s ultraviolet light, which can be harmful for our skin and eyes if left unprotected.
According to the Vision Council, ultraviolet (UV) light is an invisible, electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun, which discharges three kinds of UV radiation on the Earth: UVA, UVB and UVC. While UVC is absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere, UVA and UVB radiation can burn the skin and eyes and cause damage to vision health. Luckily for us, we’ve invented sunglasses and sunscreen!
How can you tell if UV light has already affected your vision? Look for these signs:
- Swollen or red eyes.
- Hypersensitivity to light.
- Cataracts.
- Age-related macular degeneration.
- Photokeratitis, resulting in vision loss.
- Cancer of the eye or eyelid.
While UV light can affect people of all ages, children are most especially at risk because their eye structure isn’t as fully developed as an adult. They are also outside three times as much as adults are with their sporting activities, playing, and school recess.
The simple solution is to ensure that everyone you love wears sunglasses that block UVA and UVB light. Look for the sticker on the lens when purchasing to make sure they will protect eyes from the damaging rays of the sun. Come visit us at All About Eyes while we have our 30% off sunglasses sale! We have many styles to choose from and can make sunglasses for you if you have a prescription.