Even on cloudy days, you gotta wear shades

The next time you head to the drugstore to buy sunscreen, don’t forget to pick up some sunglasses, too.

Wearing sunglasses for protection should not be reserved for sunny summer days, said Dianna Seldomridge, spokeswoman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and practicing eye doctor at Duke University. There’s ultraviolet light on cloudy days and during other seasons of the year — any time it’s daytime.

What’s the harm? Cataracts, other growths and some cancers are directly related to UV exposure.

Cataracts occur with normal aging — the lens of the eye gradually turns cloudy. Cataracts can cause vision to be blurry or doubled, and can lead to difficulty seeing at night.

Fifty percent of white Americans have cataracts in their late 70s. Age is the main risk factor, and research has indicated exposure to the sun’s UV rays is another.

“UV exposure increases your risk of getting more advanced cataracts, or cataracts at earlier ages,” said Albert Jun, an ophthalmologist at Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute. In other words, you might get cataracts in your 40s or 50s instead of your 70s or 80s.

In addition, some evidence suggests UV light has more effect on the eyes in early life, childhood and into your 20s.

Age-related macular degeneration has been associated with UV exposure, though the evidence for this relationship is weaker.

Look for shades that are labeled full UV protection, or protects against UVA and UVB, or “UV 400,” which means it blocks light at wavelengths up to 400 nanometers (which covers both UVA and UVB rays). Large sunglasses or wraparound glasses are the best, experts said.

A baseball cap gives some protection, but “sunglasses are better,” Jun said.

A car’s windshield does block UV rays, but the car door window might not. Some studies have noted cataracts being more common in the left eye than the right eye, presumably from time spent driving.