Call to adopt ‘no sunnies, no play’ rule
Optometrist urges action to protect children’s eyes
New research has found that 65 per cent of children in the Wellington region under the age of 16 are not always wearing sunglasses outside during the day in summer.
Paraparaumu optometrist Joong Jang is urging parents and caregivers to adopt a “no sunnies, no play” rule.
The research, commissioned by
Specsavers, revealed that almost all children in the region under 16 own a pair of sunglasses, but only onethird of these are always using them in summer.
With summer now well under way, Joong warns that children can absorb more UV into their eyes because their pupils are larger, and the lens of their eyes is clearer.
Studies have shown, however, that wearing sunglasses together with a wide-brimmed hat can reduce UV exposure by as much as 98 per cent.
Joong believes that setting children up with good practices when they’re younger can help them to protect their eyes in later life.
“New Zealand has one of the highest levels of UV in the world, so it’s critical to encourage children to be sun safe and instil good behaviours when they’re younger so they set themselves up for life.
“Long-term exposure to UV can lead to sight-threatening conditions such as macular degeneration, or even cancer.”
Nationally, for children under the age of 10, the main barriers to consistent sunglass wearing, according to parents, were parents/child forgetting, child finding them uncomfortable and kids always taking them off.
For kids between 10-16, forgetting to put them on was the main barrier.
“I understand how difficult it can be to get kids to wear and keep wearing their sunglasses, so having a simple ‘no sunnies, no play’ rule, just like with seat belts and driving, helps kids to know they can’t go outside and play without their sunglasses.
“Getting them into the habit of grabbing their sunnies whenever they leave the house is important.”
This includes remembering sunnies not only in well-known high sun exposure environments like the beach, but also during more incidental times such as in the car and walking to school.
Joong said that while the summer is a great time to remind parents and children of the importance of wearing their sunglasses, UV is present yearround and not just on blue-sky days.
“We all need to be aware of UV, even when we’re only spending a short amount of time outside.
“Making sure you’re protecting your whole body including your eyes and being sun safe particularly from October to March is essential. “Always practice sun-safe habits. “The most important thing is to slip, slop, slap, seek and wrap.
“When you’re outside, slip on sun protective clothing, slop on SPF 30 or higher sunscreen, slap on a hat, seek shade and wrap on sunglasses that provide UV protection.”