There are so many reasons to wear sunglasses. Many people wear sunscreen on their skin- but do they give their eyes as much thought?
Advantages of Sunglasses
Sunglasses Complement Fashion Style
It goes without saying that sunglasses can really complement an outfit. I saw a friend today who was wearing a long back trench coat, with her newly layered long hair with a pair of oversized Tom Ford 'Jackie Onassis' style sunglasses and the entire ensemble looked as sophisticated and as glamorous as one could possibly get.
Sunglasses can really make an outfit stand out or a certain feature such as your cheekbones or lips.
Calm Migraines
Many people wear sunglasses to assist them with their 'photophobia' which is their hypersensitivity to light. Sunlight and indeed any kind of bright light can exacerbate their migraine symptoms. In this case, carefully selected sunglasses are worn to dull down the light in the lenses.
The American Migraine Association suggests that there is a kind of lense called the FL41 lens, that can help prevent a migraine which is discussed in the Medical News Today.
There is another type of migraine called the Ocular Migraine, which is a migraine that culminates through the eyes rather than the head. This can cause light spots and temporary blindness and distort one's vision. It can be caused by anxiety, stress or dehydration and can be a potential warning for other more serious health conditions. If you are affected by an Ocular Migraine, its is advised by the Vision Center to get this checked out by an Optometrist or Ophthalmologist.
Offer Protection From The Elements
Sunglasses can offer protection from grit or snow- or from any foreign body getting into the eyeball. If you are cycling on a gritty road, sunglasses can help prevent damage to the eye.
Sunglasses Prevent Wrinkles
The skin underneath your eye is very thin and needs real protection. If you want to avoid crows feet, it is always a good idea to keep a pair of wrap around sunglasses or oversized sunglasses in your hand bag. Accelerated aging can be caused by sun damage.
Dr Ava Shamban, as reported in Yahoo Life stresses that wearing sunglasses "will prevent squinting, and thus help prevent crow's feet."
It is extremely important to make sure that the glasses you wear have UVA/UVB Protection. You need to know that there are many sunglasses out at the moment that are only meant to be fashionable and not to protect your eyes. Therefore, if you are buying a pair of sunglasses- you need to find out if the frame bears the mark UV400. If you see this, you know that they are capable of providing protection.
In the EU we have categories for sunglasses between 0-4 which indicate how much sunlight can travel through them- so we know what we can use them for.
0 hardly blocks out any light and 4 blocks nearly all the light.
0- are just regarded as glasses & blocks up to 20% of the light
1- blocks up to 57% of the light
2- Blocks up to 82%
3- Blocks up to 92%
4 -Blocks up to 97% of the light
We must be careful that we don't make an assumption, that by picking CE level three glasses, that they must automatically have UV Protection- because that often isn't always the case. We must do our due diligence and check with the company that we are buying our glasses from.
We need to be be wary of both Category and UV400.
Prevents Pterygium
Sunglasses can prevent pterygium- which is caused by exposure to UV light, wind and dust. Surfers famously get this condition frequently. This is characterized by a growth that covers part of your cornea, which can really cause a loss in vision.
This is discussed by the American Academy of Opthalmology.
Prevents Cataracts
Normally cataracts are hereditary and develop in old age or injury. However, there is an understanding that the sun may contribute to the development of them. Therefore it is very importabt to wear them to prevent this disease or if you already have cataracts it is important to wear sunglasses as cataract sufferers often get light sensitivities.
Prevents Cancer
According to the Uk's NHS Website- 850 cases of eye or ocular cancer are diagnosed each year. It is not clear what exactly causes it- however there is evidence that shows that UV light exacerbates this risk.
If your family and genetically predisposed to eye cancer, then it is imperative that you buy sunglasses with full UV protection with the right category. The higher the better. If you are unsure which- I would highly suggest category 3- which blocks out a decent amount of sunlight.
Prevents Photokeratitis
Photokeratitis is caused by exposure to UV light. It tends to be reflected from elements such as snow, ice and sun bed lamps. Normally symtoms are known to disappear after 48 hours. However, the symptoms can be disabling - with loss of vision and seeing 'halos.'
If you were climbing a snowy mountain and weren't adequately protected, you could lose your footing and easily come to alot of harm if you developed this condition en route.
To prevent the aforementioned, it is imperative that sunglasses with very good UV protection are worn- particularly if you are going to be in the snow.
Conclusion
There are so many reasons why it is essential to wear sunglasses. Fashion is just a small part of it. Your eyes and surrounding tissues need to be given the same amount of care as your skin.
If you have any questions abous this topic- or indeed any other- please feel free to contact us.
