Aviators. Retro. Flip. Sport. During the spring and summer months, consumer spend hours trying to figure out what shape of sunglasses will best reflect their personality and offer a little shade during the summer months.
While sunglasses do add flare to your favorite outfit, there is more to their purpose than offering shade to your eyes. Sunglasses with 99 to 100-percent UVA and UVB protection will help shield your eyes from the harmful UV rays that can lead to eye problems or disease associated with UV exposure.
The damaging effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays on the body have been widely documented over the years. Exposure to UV rays have been linked to cause irreversible skin damage in both children and adults. And while UV radiation has also been linked to cataracts, macular degeneration and even cancer in the eye, people are less aware of how important it is to protect their gift of sight while outside.
- UV light is believed to be a factor in the development of pterygium, a pink, non-cancerous growth that forms on the layer of conjunctiva over the white of your eye. This pterygium can lead to astigmatism.
- Extended exposure to UV rays can also damage the retina of the eye, leading to macular degeneration, the leading cause of age-related blindness.
- It is estimated that 10 to 20-percent of all cataract cases are linked to exposure to UV-B rays. Cataracts are a clouding of the eye’s natural lens.
- Long hours on the beach or skiing without proper eye protection can lead to photokeratitis, a corneal sunburn that will lead to “snow blindness.”
- Although cancer of the eye is uncommon, the Skin Cancer foundation said melanoma, carcinoma and lymphoma can cancers around the eye account for 5 to 10 percent of cancers. Skin cancer can also develop on the outer parts of the eyelid.
While it is important to put sunscreen on when you will be in the sun, nearly 40-percent of UV light exposure happens even when it is not sunny outside. It is essential to put sunscreen and wear sunglasses even when we don’t feel like we will get sunburnt or need extra shade for our eyes.
To provide adequate protection it is recommended that you wear:
- Sunglasses that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB radiation
- Wear wrap around frames if you spend a lot of time in bright sunlight
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat
- Lenses that screen out 75 to 90 percent of visible light
- Gray lenses for proper color recognition
To ensure that you are not only purchasing frames that fit your personality, but glasses that meets your needs in any condition, visit Burgwald Eye Center. With the latest technologies and great frame selection, we are sure to have what you need to protect your sight.
Erik Burgwald greets each patient with a smile, is eager to help and will go the extra mile for his patients. Complete with his state-of-the-art lab equipment he is able to help patients with more than just glasses and contact exams. Dr. Burgwald is a very family friendly doctor who is a volunteer in the Infantsee public health program (this program provides a one time, no cost eye exam to babies ages 6 to 12 months), donates to the local Lions Club, and participates in a variety of fundraisers here in the Champaign-Urbana area.
