UV, sunglasses, and your eyes

As we head into brighter, summer days, our eyes are more likely to be subject to the sun’s rays. While that may sound like a tropical dream, prolonged exposure to the sun’s rays can have a long-term negative health impact on your eyes. Read on to discover more about UV, sunglasses, and how to protect your eyes from the sun.

The importance of sun protection

The sun is a source of two types of ultraviolet (UV) radiation: UVA and UVB.

Both types can penetrate and change your skin and eye cell structure, even on cloudy days. Accumulated exposure to both over the years can lead to different types of eyelid cancers, eye diseases, corneal or conjunctiva damage. All these conditions can lead to permanent vision loss or damaged eye tissue.

UVA rays can pass through the cornea on the surface of your eye through to the retina at the back, so can contribute to the development of serious eye diseases later in life, such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. UVB rays can’t penetrate past the cornea, but are responsible for photokeratitis, which is like having sunburnt eyes.

The threat of UV exposure is greatest when the sun is high in the sky. This is usually between 10 am-2 pm. This applies to children as well as adults – in fact, children’s eyes are even more at risk of UV damage, as they have bigger pupils and clearer natural lenses that allow 70% more light to reach the retina. With the amount of time children spend outdoors, this could mean they would have already absorbed 80% of a lifetime’s UV by the age of 18.

How do sunglasses help?

Sunglasses are more than a stylish accessory. They’re also an important tool for shielding your eyes from the sun so that you can safely spend time in it. There are a variety of different types of 100% UV protection sunglasses available to suit your individual needs.

If you need to invest in a pair of sunglasses for yourself and your family, choosing a high quality pair from your optometrist is the best option, as these are guaranteed to have full UV protection on the lenses.

If you do opt to go for a cheaper pair from unauthorised sellers, the lenses may be dark but not have a UV filter, meaning you’ll be causing more UV damage by letting more light into your eyes as your pupils widen to adjust to the dark tint!

In addition to UV protection, you can opt for polarised lenses, which are widely considered the best sunglasses for eye protection because they offer maximum protection against bright glare that reflects of surfaces like water or roads into your eyes, as well as UV light, meaning you’ll experiencing more comfortable vision too.

Photochromic glasses are another great option. These rapidly darken when you’re in the sun and fade to clear when indoors, making them a practical and convenient choice for people who are constantly on the go and may find swapping their glasses for sunglasses that often an inconvenience.

Get your sunglasses at our Wexford opticians

If you’re looking for the best sunglasses Wexford has to offer in terms of style and UV protection, we can help.

Why not visit our opticians in New Ross so we can help you choose the perfect pair from renowned names like Gucci, Chloé, and the award winning Maui Jim polarised sunglasses collection?