Up to 80% of sun damage happens to your eyes before you turn 18. Youth spend more time outdoors, have larger pupils and clearer lenses; these factors contribute to a considerable amount of UV damage in their younger years. When searching for sunglasses for your child, look for a label that says 100% UVA and UVB protection. If your sunglasses don’t have proper UV protection, they can do more harm than good because the shade cause your eyes to dilate allowing in more harmful UV and HEV rays.
UV damage is cumulative and usually irreversible. Unprotected exposure can lead to serious health issues like:
- sunburn of the eyes
- cataracts
- macular degeneration
- cancer of the eye
- cancer of the skin surrounding the eyes (5-10% of skin cancers occur around the eyes.)
Children’s sunglasses start at $10 at our office, stop by and have a look!
