I wrote this review while participating in an Influencer campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. and received a promotional item from Mom Central to thank me for participating.
During the summer months we spend a lot of time outdoors and in the sun. Between softball games, camping, fishing at the lake and playing at the park our sun exposure is pretty intense. I do my best to protect my families skin from the sun but there is a part of your body that is often overlooked when it comes to sun protection. Your eyes are just as important to protect from the harmful UV rays as your skin.
You may be surprised to learn that younger eyes are more susceptible to exposure to the suns harmful rays than adults. The reason for this is that children have larger pupils, clearer lenses, and are outside without eye protection much more frequently and for longer periods than most adults. This is staggering, but It is estimated that a significant amount of lifetime exposure to UV rays may occur by age 18 and that childrens annual dose of UV radiation is three times that of adults.
A number of studies have shown that the effects of UV radiation may increase the chance of developing eye problems later in life, including cataracts which is a leading cause of reduced vision in the United States. It may be hard to notice short-term damage but over a long period of time you can cause irreversible damage and that’s why it’s so important to start protecting your eyes from early childhood.
So How Can You Protect Your Eyes?
We all know that your not suppose to stare at the sun, but this isn’t the only way your eyes can be effected. The reflected ultraviolet (UV) rays from surfaces such as grass, soil, dry sand, water, and snow can also be harmful. And protecting your eyes from UV rays is also important on a cloudy day as the sun’s rays can pass through thin clouds, exposing your eyes to harmful UV radiation
Sunglasses are a great start to protecting your eyes But while most sunglasses can help block UV rays from entering through the lenses, most frame styles do not prevent rays from reaching the eyes from the sides, top, and bottom of the glasses. Hats with brims offer no protection from UV rays reflected up from ground surfaces such as pavement, sand, and water.
Another option is UV Blocking Contact Lenses which can provide an important level of additional protection from UV exposure. Not all contact lenses offer UV protection, and, of those that do, not all provide similar absorption levels. ACUVUE® is the only major brand of contact lenses which blocks approximately 97%of UV-B and 81% of UV-A rays as standard across the entire range of its products.
This is a very important subject to learn more about, especially during these months when many kids are outdoors much more. Fore more information I encourage you to visit Fast Facts for Your Health: The Sun & Your Eyes: What You Need to Know on the ACUVUE® Brand website.
How do you protect your families eyes from the sun?