You may not be jetting off on a sunny summer holiday any time soon thanks to the current lockdown, but you still need to think about protecting your eyes in the brighter weather.
According to sunglasses specialist, Tic Watches, there are four key reasons you should wear sunglasses, even in the great British summer – and with UV levels set to be very high this week, experts have warned of the dangers of not wearing sunglasses.
- They protect the eye’s lens: UV rays, especially UVB, getting into the lens can lead to clouding of the eye, also known as cataracts. The World Health Organization estimates up to 20 per cent of cataracts may be caused by overexposure to UV radiation and are therefore avoidable through the right protection.
- They protect the retina: High quality sunglasses protect your retina against blue light from the solar spectrum, which could increase the risk of macular degeneration. This can result in blurred or no vision in the centre of your eyes and even blindness.
- They protect sensitive skin: The skin around your eyes is particularly sensitive to sunlight, with around 10 per cent of skin cancers being on the eyelids, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Therefore, it’s important this skin has protection through a good pair of sunglasses.
- They protect against tissue growth: The sun’s harmful rays can also cause tissue growth on the eyeball called pterygium, which is an inflammation of the cornea. This can extend over the centre of the cornea and cause a reduction in vision. And whilst it can be removed by surgery, they tend to recur and can be very painful.
Tic reminds of the importance of wearing the right sunglasses, avoiding fake designer versions, as they often offer no protection against UV rays.
Daniel Richmond, Managing Director of Tic Watches, advised: “When choosing sunglasses, you need to be looking for ones with 100 per cent UVA and UVB protection. This means they provide full protection against the sun’s ultraviolet rays, which can be very harmful to your eyes. Whilst people might not be jetting off on holiday anytime soon, it’s important they wear sunglasses whilst in their gardens and on balconies, as well as whilst out and about in the sun.”
