We all love looking great on sunny days with a cool pair of shades. Keeping the sun out of your eyes and looking cool aren’t the only benefits of sunglasses. With proper UV protection, sunglasses can protect the long term health of our eyes. But what is UV protection?
UV stands for ultraviolet. Ultraviolet light falls somewhere between visible light and x-ray in the light spectrum. So while you can’t see it, the sun and other man-made items (such as tanning beds) create ultraviolet light all the time.
UV light is split into three categories: UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C. You don’t need to worry about UV-C, as it is totally absorbed by the ozone layer. UV-A and UV-B can have negative effects if you don’t protect your eyes.
Short term exposure to large amounts of UV radiation can cause something called photokeratitis. This is known by many other names depending upon the location where it is caused. Welders refer to photokeratitis as ‘welders flash,’ but it can also be caused by reflection from the surf or sand. In colder climates, photokeratitis is known as ‘snow blindness.’
Photokeratitis is often said to feel like one has had sand poured into their eyes. Not a pleasant feeling at all! Fortunately, this feeling usually subsides within a day or so and the effects are not permanent.
Long term exposure to UV light can cause permanent eye damage to many parts of the eye. The effects of this kind of damage can be macular degeneration or cataracts. In the worst case scenario, UV overexposure can cause blindness!
Luckily, there are plenty of things that you can do to protect your eyes. While a wide brimmed hat his helpful, it is best to get a good pair of sunglasses that block out UV light. Not all sunglasses perform this task. A pair of sunglasses that shields your eyes to visible light and helps you to see in the sun might not be protecting you from UV.
To best protect yourself, look for these qualities in sunglasses:
o 99-100 percent of UV-A and UV-B light should be blocked.
o 75-90 percent on visible light should be blocked.
Whether you choose to pick a single pair of standard sunglasses or go for wholesale fashion sunglasses online, pick something that will protect your eyes. You vision can last your whole life with a little care!