Eye experts are always reminding us of the importance of protecting our eyes from the sun even before summer arrives. Especially from the harmful UV rays emitted from the sun that can cause significant damage to your eyesight. Pterygium, cataracts, photokeratitis, pinguecula, and macular degeneration are the most common eye disorders that develop from excessive sun exposure. Summer is coming and here are the ways you could protect your eyes from sun damage even before you have fun in the sun.

 

Choose the Right Sunglasses

Eye health experts recommend that you should always search for sunglasses with UV protection. As much as possible, choose sunglasses with the most optimal UVA and UVB protection. The lens should absorb 99 to 100 percent UVA or UVB rays. Large, dark sunglasses can shield your eyes from sunlight that may enter through the sides, so consider wraparound sunglasses to keep your eyes UV-protected from above, below, and the sides.

Wear a Wide-Brimmed Hat

You should also wear a wide-brimmed hat even with your sunglasses. Eye experts recommend this type of hat since it can provide you with another layer of eye protection. Wide-brimmed hats can block about 50 percent of the UV rays that the sun fires at you. You can also opt for sun hats that have a high UV protection rating to increase the level of your eye protection.

Choose Contact Lenses With UV Protection

To supplement your sunglasses and wide-brimmed hat, you can wear contact lenses with UV protection. These contact lenses are highly effective in protecting your eyes from UV radiation. Eye care providers insist on wearing sunglasses and contact lenses with UV protection at the same time if you frequent high sun exposure environments. Research shows that you should choose contact lenses that absorb at least 99 percent of UVA radiation and 90 percent of UVB radiation.

Never Stare at the Sun

Don’t look directly at the sun even if you are wearing sunglasses and contact lenses with UV protection. If you do, you can develop retinopathy, which is a type of retinal damage. Even if it is cloudy or if there is an eclipse, don’t ever look directly at the sun.

Don’t Go Outside During the Sun’s Peak Hours

The sun’s rays are most damaging to your eyes during midday hours. Stay indoors between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to keep your eyes safe from aggressive UV radiation. If you do need to be outside during these hours, protect yourself first by applying sunscreen. Then, wear a wide-brimmed hat and a pair of sunglasses with UV protection before you step out.

You should start forming the habit of protecting your eyes even if it isn’t Summer yet. Shielding them from harmful UV rays can help prevent damage and eye diseases. Here at Optical Masters, we believe in being prepared when it comes to eye health. We can help you protect your eyes before the summer fun starts. Please visit our offices in Denver, Colorado, for a one-on-one consultation. Get in touch with us by dialing 720-780-8881 (Monaco), 720-780-9970 (Federal), or 720-782-2190 (University) if you want to schedule an appointment.