July UV Safety Month
Posted by: Eyecare Associates of New Orleans in General on July 1, 2020
Before you head out, don’t forget to protect yourselves from the sun’s UV rays, both with sunscreen for your skin and with sunglasses for your eyes.
Why We Need UV Protection
We all know that we can get sunburns if we stay outside too long without sunscreen, but did you know that your eyes can be damaged in similar ways by too much sunlight? UV-A rays reach all the way to your retinas and can lead to macular degeneration (loss of central vision), while UV-B rays affect the cornea and lens, causing corneal sunburns and increasing the risk of developing cataracts.
Sunscreen and shade are essential to keeping your skin protected when enjoying time in the sun, but what about your eyes? Eyes need protection from the sun too! Let’s look at a few ways you can keep your eyes healthy this summer.
Choosing The Right Sunglasses
Protection from harmful UV rays should be a major priority when having fun in the sun. The best way to do this is with UV-protecting sunglasses! It is crucial to check that your sunglasses block 100 percent of UV rays. Merely having a dark tint doesn’t mean they’re giving your eyes the protection they need. In fact, non-UV-protecting sunglasses can actually trick your eyes into behaving as though there isn’t much light, leaving them even more vulnerable to UV rays than they would be otherwise.
Don’t Forget Those Goggles!
As important as sunglasses are for protecting your eyes from the sun, goggles are just as important for protecting your eyes from chlorine and microbes in the water. Make sure to choose goggles that fit well and provide a good seal over your eyes, and don’t forget to take your contacts out before swimming! Keeping the contacts out and the goggles on will protect your eyes from the risk of infection, so have fun swimming while social-distancing!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
