Don't Put Your Sunglasses Away
Eye Health
Summer's over and winter is on its way, but
don't stow your
sunglasses away with the bathing suits and
shorts!
Sunglasses are for all seasons
Your eyes need protection from the sun all year round. Just as
in the summer, the two main risks of sun exposure are damage
from UV rays and discomfort caused by glare.
A glaring problem
Glare is nearly always present during daylight hours, whether
the sun is shining or not. Bright reflections off shiny surfaces
like snow, vehicles or buildings can subject the eyes to much
more light than you actually need to see. This causes
irritation and discomfort as your pupils contract, your eyelids
narrow and the muscles around your eyes constrict as you squint
to see properly.
Besides being painful, glare can also be a dangerous distraction
during driving or sporting activities. Anyone who has driven
into the sunset on a late afternoon will be very familiar with
this.
Winter sun and UV rays
A far more serious problem, however, is the sun's ultraviolet
(UV) rays, which are intensified when they are reflected. In the
short term, exposure can cause a painful, temporary condition
called photokeratitis, which is literally a sunburn on the
surface of your eyeball.
However, long-term exposure to UV rays increases your risk of
developing two more serious conditions: cataracts, a clouding of
the lens that causes blurred vision and age-related macular
degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss in
Canadians over age 50.
Sunglasses: try before you buy
The good news is that wearing a pair of good-quality sunglasses
will help protect your eyes from UV damage and fatigue. Look for
a manufacturer's label indicating that the glasses offer 99 to
100 per cent UV A and B protection. If youre unsure, ask the
sales assistant or your eye care professional for guidance.
People who wear contact lenses, even those that offer UV
protection, should still wear sunglasses.
Sunglasses should be dark enough to reduce glare, but not so
dark as to distort colours or interfere with recognizing things
like traffic signals. To check this, simply try them on in front
of a mirror. If you can see your eyes, the lenses are probably
not dark enough to block glare.
The bigger the better
Lenses should also be large enough to block light entering from
the sides. Sports models that wrap all the way around the
temples are ideal. A hat with a wide brim can
help block sunlight that comes in from overhead.
Don't forget the kids
Just as you wouldn't send children out in the sun without
sunscreen, they also should wear sunglasses with 99 to 100 per
cent UV protection to protect their eyes. To reduce the risk of
broken lenses, look for polycarbonate lenses, which are more
shatter-resistant than regular ones.