Eye Health Matters > Sunglasses

Can the Sun Damage your Eyes?:

UV rays come three ways: UVA, UVB and UVC. UVC rays are absorbed by the atmosphere. UVB rays will cause damage to your skin and your eyes. The effect of UVB rays are cumulative, creating the risk for both cataracts and macular degeneration. UVA rays are also absorbed by the eyes, but the long term impact of is less well understood.

Why wear Sunglasses?:

• Wearing high quality sunglasses reduces the amount of ultraviolet damage to the ocular surface and the sensitive skin around your eyes. Also, it may help reduce risk of cataracts, age related macular degeneration, skin cancer and wrinkles!
  
  
  
• Polarized lenses improve the quality of light. By filtering glare, using polarized technology in combination with some filtering of the shorter wavelengths of light (blue end of the spectrum), you can enhance the sharpness and contrast of your vision. When combined with your best correction, you will enjoy high-quality, comfortable vision as a result.
  
  
  
• Reduce the amount of heat to your ocular surface. Long days in the sun can lead to a drier eye, leaving the eyes irritable and red. By wearing sunglasses, you can keep the ocular surface significantly cooler, slowing the process of evaporation and resulting in all day comfort with less dryness and redness. Your vision will be enhanced and you'll feel the difference!
  
  
  
• Improve your night vision! Try wearing your sunglasses every day and you'll be surprised in the improvement. Bombardment to the retinal cells all day long by bright light requires a significant recovery requirement, which can hamper your ability to see well at dusk and at night. Sunglasses help filter this to a more reasonable level during the day, resulting in better visual ease and judgment at lower light levels.
  
  
  
• Don't forget aesthetics!

Children and UV :

Younger eyes are more sensitive to UV. The internal lens of a child's eye can not block UV light as well as an adult's lens. This combined with the fact that children spend more time outdoors adds to lifetime exposure. Studies confirm a prevailing assumption that children are less likely to wear sunglasses than adults. But protecting their eyes is just as important as protecting their skin. Insist that your whole family is adequately protected by wearing UV blocking glasses whenever outdoors.

What else can I do to protect my family from the Sun?:

A wide brimmed hat provides basic protection. Choose eyeglasses or sun wear that offers protection from both UVA and UVB rays. While many retailers sell sunglasses, not all provide 100% protection from both UVA and UVB protection. If in doubt, bring in your sunglasses. We can test them to let you know if your eyes are truly protected. Or simply stop by to see our selection of sunglasses. Every pair we sell offers 100% UVA and UVB protection. We also offer a wide selection of polarized sunglasses, which provide enhanced glare protection and providing the clearest and most comfortable vision available.