Are you really keeping your eyes sun safe?
Most of us know the importance of protecting our skin from the sun but our eyes are susceptible to UV damage too. It means that sunglasses are vital for protecting your vision, says Kim Jones
Ultraviolet awareness: The sun’s UVA rays can contribute to the onset of macular degeneration. “This is a condition where the retina becomes damaged, resulting in central vision loss,” explained Sharon Copeland, optician at Feel Good Contacts ( feelgoodcontacts.com).
“Studies have shown that exposure to UVB rays increases the risk of cataracts, clouds that form on your eye’s lens, obscuring vision and your ability to focus on objects,” she added.
“Cataracts are the primary cause of vision loss for people over 40 and remain the world’s leading cause of blindness.”
Watch out for the burn:
Photokeratitis is where your cornea becomes sunburned – typically by light reflecting from snow, especially at high altitude where the sun’s UV rays are stronger. It’s called snow blindness but it can happen when rays reflect from surfaces such as sand or water, too. Symptoms include eye pain and blurry vision. Be shady: Wear sunglasses whenever you’re outside. “Research shows that only 40 per cent of people cite protecting their eyes as a reason for wearing sunglasses, while 30 per cent of those questioned were completely unaware of the damage that UV rays can do,” said Dr Andy Hepworth from optical lens specialist Essilor (essilor.co. uk). Though we all want our shades to look stylish, they need to be up to the job.
“Only buy glasses that can prove their UV protection,” he advised. “This will be indicated on the label or shown on the product description. The minimum should ideally be UV 400 protection, which blocks nearly 100 per cent of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. “Just don’t assume all cheap sunglasses provide this level of protection, even if a sticker on the lenses says, ‘blocks UV’.” Check the glasses also carry the CE mark, which indicate compliance with European safety regulations. Fakes? Big mistake: “It’s easy to get carried away when you can buy what seem to be stylish sunglasses for as little as £4, or designer knock-offs without any product information on the lens’ credentials,” said Andy. But, he warned, you’ll essentially be shopping blind when there’s no mention of lens protection.
Some online fashion brands sell sunnies that come with a warning that they’re for fashion purposes and not to be worn outside to protect against strong sunlight, but the warning can be in small print or in drop-down description tabs, so is easily missed.
“Worryingly, wearing fakes that fail to block UV light from reaching our eyes can cause more damage to the eyes than not wearing sunglasses at all,” said Sharon.
That’s because a tinted lens makes pupils dilate – meaning even more UV light enters the eye. Eye colour matters: Got blue, green or hazel eyes? The lighter your eyes’ colour, the less protective melanin pigment they have, and so the more susceptible they are to UV damage. Wear shades and add a hat for extra protection. Winter wear: “For optimum eye health you should be wearing sunglasses all year round,” said Dr Hepworth. That’s because clouds don’t block out all UV light.
For optimum eye health, you should wear sunglasses all year round