Sunglasses, the perfect summer accessory. They not only look fabulous, but they also protect your eyes from the bright, Texas sun that we usually see during those warm summer months. However, sunglasses should actually be a year-round necessity as part of your vision care. It doesn't matter where you live or what the winter weather is like, wearing high-quality, protective sunglasses should be an everyday essential. Read on to find out why.
UV Damage
You may know that ultraviolet (UV) light can potentially damage your eyes. In fact, you can actually get a sunburn on your eyes if they are overexposed to UV light. What you may not know is that UV light is still present on cloudy, overcast days. Overtime, this repeated exposure to UV light can lead to vision problems and other potential eye issues, including cataracts or damage to the retina. Unlike our skin, which does need some amount of UV exposure for vitamin D synthesis, there is no real benefit for exposing the eyes to any UV light. Thus, high-quality sunglasses are important to block this UV light and protect your eyes from damage. Additionally, sunglasses protect the delicate skin around your eyes (think, anti-wrinkle!). This can be especially important because that delicate skin is actually prone to skin cancer.
Dryness
Have you ever notices that your skin feels dryer in the winter? That’s because most climates have less humidity in the air during that time. Couple that with the moisture sucking heaters that are turned on during the cold months and we are left with some dried out membranes, including your eyes. Wearing sunglasses helps to protect your eyes from the dry air and wind outside. Also, wearing them while driving provides a little barrier to the dry air from the car heater!
With these benefits in mind, you’re probably ready to grab those sunglasses before you head out the door, but keep in mind that not all sunglasses are created equal. Inexpensive sunglasses often don’t provide the level of UV protection required to really block the UV rays. In order to be effective, sunglasses should offer both UV-A and UV-B protection between 99 and 100 percent. Also, when purchasing for protection purposes, bigger is better! Larger, or even wrap-around frames, will help to protect more of the area around your eye and let even less light in.
So go ahead and channel your inner movie star. Wear those sunglasses year-round and if you are in the market for a high-quality pair stop by Risi Optique to see our great selection!