Throughout The Day, We Are Exposed To UV Rays Emitted By The Sun. The Skin Is Not The Only Organ Weakened By These Rays, The Eye Also Has A Limited Sun Capital.

Sunglasses Are Must-Have Eyewear, Helping Minimize Brightness In Any Season Or Place Where The Sun And Its Reflective Rays Impact Your Eyes And Your Vision.

 

THE DIFFERENT UV RAYS AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE EYES

Ultraviolet Rays is Distinguish Into

UV A: The most dangerous for the eyes, since they reach the crystalline lens in adults and can reach the retina in children;
UV B: Are absorbed by the lens in adults;
UV C: Are almost completely stopped by the ozone in the atmosphere.

 

These UV Rays Can Reach Our Eyes In Three Different Ways 

DIRECT RADIATION: Has a variable intensity depending on the season, the geographical location and the altitude;
THE DIFFUSION: Of UV depends on the presence or not of clouds;
THE REFLECTION: Varies according to the nature of the ground: the reverberation of the snow is for example 7 times more important than that of water!

Unlike infrared rays, whose harmful effects are felt almost immediately (heat and burns), those of UV rays appear late. Sometime, they are barely perceptible. 

It is therefore important to learn to recognize the first signs of overexposure to the sun's rays. The symptoms are characterizing by abundant tearing, sensitivity to light and significant redness that can lead to infection. 

 

EYE HEALTH: THE DANGERS OF THE SUN 

Just like the skin, the eyes have the power, in response to light aggression, to constantly renew their cells.

However, as they have a limited amount of sunlight, if the dose of UV rays is very high, this capital is depleting too quickly, making the eye vulnerable:

 

THE EYELIDS: Are sensitive to sunburns which, in the long term, can cause skin cancers such as melanoma, the most serious of all skin cancers;

THE MUCOUS: Membranes that line the inner surface of the eyelids and the white of the eye are subject to inflammation that can lead to unsightly and painful thickening and conjunctivitis;

THE CORNEA: Can, one or two hours after an unprotected exposure to the sun, be victim of ulcerations (keratitis) which, if ignored, can lead to chronic keratitis;

THE CRYSTALLINE LENS: Can also be damaged by UV rays, resulting in an earlier onset of cataracts (opacification of the crystalline lens) in 5 to 10 years;

THE RETINA: The fact that cases of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are on the rise perhaps favored by an accumulation of ultraviolet doses. Responsible: winter and summer sports (skiing, sailing, beach) but also repeated exposure to strong artificial lights, some of which contain UV.

TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE BEST SUNGLASSES

To help keep your eyes healthy, keep these tips in mind when buying sunglasses: 

 

Make sure they have a tag or sticker that says they provide 100 percent UV protection from all UV light.

Some manufacturer's labels say “UV absorption up to 400nm.” This is the same thing as 100 percent UV absorption. 

Available in many shapes and styles, sunglasses are more than fashion accessories—they are important tools to protect your eyes from ultraviolet (UV) rays, the radiation energy produced by the sun.

 

These UV rays—including UVA and especially UVB—damage the eye’s surface tissues, cornea and lens.

Over time, that damage can lead to cataracts, macular degeneration and other vision-stealing eye conditions.  

 

DARK GLASSES ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE MOST EFFECTIVE 

 

Even if we often favor fashion, some precautions should be taken before giving in to impulse buying. Darker sunglasses don’t always mean they offer more UV protection. To be sure of the quality of your sunglasses, choosing a very dark shade is not enough. The quality of filtration of harmful rays is the first element to check. Thus, some transparent corrective lenses can be sufficiently protective. 

When looking for sunglasses, don’t be fooled into thinking the darker the lens, the safer they are for your eyes. Only sunglasses with 100% UV protection provide the safety you need.