Sun Protection is not just about sun-screen. High quality eye sun protection is essential – even in the British sunshine. Four reasons you should wear sunglasses, even in the great British summer
With UV levels set to be very high this week (peaking at 8 in some areas), experts have warned of the dangers of not wearing sunglasses during British summertime.
Although people are not permitted to travel abroad, April and May have seen record breaking sunshine, which looks set to continue. And whilst many might not feel they need to be wearing sunglasses for protection during summertime in Britain, here are four key reasons why they’re still necessary.
1. They protect the eye’s lens – sun protection from UV
UV rays, especially UVB, getting into the lens can lead to clouding of the eye, also known as cataracts. The WHO estimates up to 20% of cataracts may be caused by overexposure to UV radiation and are therefore avoidable through the right protection.
2. 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.
3. They protect sensitive skin
The skin around your eyes is particularly sensitive to sunlight, with around 10% 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.
4. 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.
Watch and sunglasses specialist, Tic Watches, also looked at the dangers of wearing fake designer sunglasses, which often offer no protection against UV rays.
A third of British adults (32%) admitted to owning a fake designer product, a study revealed, with over 100m counterfeit products present in the UK alone.
Dodgy designer glasses can be harmful because they are often made from cheap materials and will rarely provide any protection for UV light. UV rays from the sun can cause long term eye damage or even permanent loss of vision.
Not only can fake sunglasses fail to prevent the UV, they can also mean more harm to your eyes. Because the sunglasses stop some of the visible light, your pupils will naturally dilate to absorb more light and with no UV filter, this can be harmful.
A University of Utah study found this additional exposure to UV light to increase the risk of cataracts, macular degeneration which can lead to blindness, or development of ocular cancer.
Daniel Richmond, Managing Director of Tic Watches, commented: “When choosing sunglasses, you need to be looking for ones with 100% UVA and UVB protection. This means they provide full protection against the sun’s ultraviolet rays, which can be very harmful to your eyes. There are many fake designer products or cheap sunglasses that won’t have any protection at all.
“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.”
