PROTECTING YOUR EYES FROM THE SUN

Here we share our top tips for protecting your eyes from sun damage with this gorgeous sunny weather. Enjoy the sun but stay safe by remembering this vital information.

Wear Sunglasses

It is really important to wear sunglasses in the bright sunshine. When buying sunglasses you should always look for the UV 400 mark as this will give you assurances that they will protect your eyes from harmful UVA and UVB rays. It is also advisable to look for the European standard CE mark when buying sunglasses as this will ensure your sunglasses meet the European UV protection quality.

‘Fake’ sunglasses or those that don’t meet these requirements often provide no or a little protection from the sun – don’t make the mistake of buying these. Please check the ‘marks’ on sunglasses before purchasing.

What about contact lenses? You can get contact lenses with a UV filter in them but it must be noted they do not offer full protection from the sun and its effects so please discuss wearing these with your optician.

Sunglasses can also help those who have light sensitive eyes as they can help reduce the comfortable or painful feeling your eyes get in response to the bright sunlight.

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Good eye care in the sun

Try to avoid the harmful rays from the sun when they are at their peak – this is between 11am-3pm. It is also worth noting that you shouldn’t spend prolonged amounts of time in the sun as the exposure to the UV rays could increase the risk of you developing cataracts and macular degeneration – please note these would take many years to develop though.

Extra measures to protect your eye health

• We would advise that you wear a hat when the weather is sunny. Wide brimmed hats are perfect for providing shade and protection for your eyes.
• The sun’s rays can pass through clouds so don’t think that sun protection for your eyes doesn’t count on cloudy/hazy days as UV radiation can still get through.
• NEVER look directly at the sun as this can cause damage to the retinas of your eyes.
• You can decrease the risk of developing eye cancer by avoiding overexposure to sunlight and it’s ultraviolet radiation as this can sometimes cause eye melanoma.

Call us for advice

If you have concerns about your eyes then call us at Opticall, your local home visiting opticians. We can come and deliver a comprehensive NHS eye sight test at home. Our opticians are trained and experienced at caring for patients with a varying range of health conditions so please ask us for eye care advice if you need it. To book an appointment please call us on 020 8998 4228, email [email protected] or via our website opticalleyecare.co.uk/contact-us/.

To find out more about sun protection for your eyes you can check out the College of Optometrist website for more information about exposure to uv light and the sun. There’s also some useful information on the NHS website here.