While optometrists give health and comfort as two reasons to wear sunglasses, 101corpuschristi.com/vision has a third: STYLE! Pick out the glasses that fit your face and your personality, then wear them to protect your eyes.
Wear your sunglasses even when you're not at the beach, recommends the American Optometric Association. In fact, you should wear sunglasses whenever you are outside during daylight hours, no matter where you live. In Corpus Christi, sunglasses are a necessity to keep your eyes healthy. 1. Sunglasses protect against the sun's ultraviolet rays. Over exposure to UVA or UVB rays could lead to cataracts (a clouding of the eye's lenses) and macular degeneration (a blurring of colors and details.) 2. Your vision will improve and be much more comfortable with sunglasses since you don't have to squint to see. 3. Wearing sunglasses makes it easier on your eyes when moving from bright lights to darkness. Exposure to bright light can make it more difficult to adjust to nightime driving conditions. Sunburned eyes Photokeratitis, or sunburn of the eye, can cause snow blindness, even on the beach. Severe cases have caused a loss of vision for up to 48 hours. Excess UV exposure can also lead to "surfer's eye," which is a benign growth on the eye's surface. Known as pterygium, it can itch, swell and become irritated. Worse-case scenarios involve cancer of the eye, eyelid or nearby skin. Shopping for shades When shopping for shades, always look for lenses that block out 99 percent of UV rays. Buying glasses from an optometrist's office is the safest bet, but you can also find acceptable standards over the counter. Look for optometric "seals of acceptance" before you buy. Be sure to check that the sunglass lenses your are about to purchase are perfectly matched in color and free of distortions and imperfections. Gray-colored lenses are best. They reduce light intensity with a minimal altering of color. Don't forget the kids! Even baby's should have their eyes protected from the sun.
