Why We Should All Be Wearing Sunglasses This National Eye Health Week

Summer may be over but the sun still shines in autumn, you know, and keeping it out of our eyes isn’t the only reason we should carry on wearing sunglasses well into autumn. National Eye Health Week is all about reminding us of the importance or regular eye tests. Not just to check for sight loss issues that can be easily corrected, but also to spot earlier signs of more serious eye health problems. However, there’s another aspect of wearing glasses that isn’t just about making sure things don’t get too blurry. Sunglasses aren’t just a fashion accessory – they also play an important part when it comes to protecting your eyes against damaging UV rays and can even prevent cancer. So here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t just wear sunglasses in the hotter months…

Protection Against Cataracts

Recent research in the US has said that recommendations for wearing sunglasses should be akin to wearing sunscreen. With there being no ‘safe’ limit for exposure to harmful UV rays when it comes to our eyes as well as our skin. Exposure to these rays is linked to different types of eye conditions including cataracts and macular degeneration. If you choose not to wear sunglasses, your eyelids are also at a greater risk of developing skin cancer.

Children’s Eyes at A Greater Risk

Children’s sunglasses aren’t just cute – they’re essential, and not just in bright conditions. Children are exposed to all the same eye health risks in the sun as adults are but the difference is their eyes are much more delicate, with softer lenses still growing and developing. It is for this reason that children should be encouraged to wear sunglasses from an early age and educated on their importance, just as they are with sunscreen.

How to Find a Safe Pair of Sunglasses

Online savings such as Sunglass2U voucher codes are an excellent source of top quality brands at great prices. But if you’re on a tight budget, there’s really no need to spend a fortune on a pair that can provide you with UV protection. Even cheaper pairs are also manufactured to high safety levels, and to make sure you’re purchasing a pair that can protect you from UV rays. Just look for the official British Standard mark – CE – usually found on the inside of one of the arms of a pair of sunglasses.

Safer Styles of Sunglasses

Sunglasses Shop can provide online shoppers with a large range of sunglass styles to choose from. However, if you want the very best protection, there are certain frame characteristics you should look out for. Sunglasses that cover the whole eye and are close fitting will provide the very best protection. When buying for children, wrap around glasses are the ideal choice, not only for UV protection, but also because they are much less likely to fall off and get lost!

So during National Eye Health Week, don’t just limit your awareness to regular eye tests. With the sun still out during the colder months, it’s also important to consider the role sunglasses play in our eye health. Whether we suffer from sight loss issues or not. Everyone can benefit from a good pair of sunglasses, so if you’ve put away your pair for the summer, perhaps you should be keeping them to hand a bit more than you think.

By Anna Scott, 22nd September 2016