Protect Your Eyes from the Sun All Year Round

Protect Your Eyes from the Sun All Year Round

Now that the days are getting shorter and the outdoor light seems less bright, you may be tempted to dash outside without your sunglasses.

Don’t do it!

You jeopardize the health of your eyes every time you walk outdoors. Ultraviolet radiation, dust and debris can get into and harm your eyes, possibly damaging your vision. In addition, you still face the effects of glare from the water’s surface and from those powdery slopes you love in the winter.

The harmful effects of ultraviolet light

Ultraviolet Light easily does the most damage to your eyes. There are three types of UV radiation that you should know about. Classified according to their wavelength, here they are:

• UV-C – With the shortest wavelengths, this is the most dangerous type of light, but the Earth’s atmosphere prevents it from harming you.
• UV-B – This light has a medium wavelength. You get tanned from exposure to UV-B wavelengths, and it also promotes aging and skin cancer.
• UV-A – Constituting most of the radiation you experience outdoors, it is safer the UV-B and UV-C light; however, researchers are finding a connection to prolonged UV-A exposure and cancer. Most of the ultraviolet radiation you will experience comes from this wavelength.

So how do you protect yourself? Wear sunglasses that block at least 99% of UV-A rays as well as UV-B rays throughout the year when you are outdoors during the day. Sunglasses that cover most of your eye area are the best for filtering ultraviolet radiation, and shield-style frames may be the best for your protection needs.

Dust and debris make it no easier

Covering up your eyes isn’t just a fashion statement; the protection of your eye area keeps dust and debris from getting into your eyes and scratching them. A good pair of sunglasses can shield the eyes from foreign matter.

I won’t be anywhere that dusty or dirty, you say? The air outdoors is filled with millions of particles of dust per cubic yard.

Pollen, too is considered a foreign matter that gets into your eyes and irritates them. You may well know the struggles of allergies to birch, cedar and ragweed. You can limit the amount of pollen to which you are exposed by wearing extra large sunglasses. At the end of your time outside, clean off your sunglasses and wash your hands to further reduce pollen invasion.

If your sunglasses feel too summery, take a look at some of the designer styles for fall. You have plenty of options for great fashion as well as eye protection with the designers and brands here.