BetterMed - urgent care
Monday - Sunday | 8am - 8pm
Patient Portal
Navigation
  • About
    • Leadership
    • Services
  • TeleCare
  • Locations
    • Greater Richmond Locations
    • Ashland
    • Chester
    • Colonial Heights
    • Hull Street
    • Mechanicsville
    • Regency Square
    • Short Pump
    • Willow Lawn Area
    • Fredericksburg Locations
    • Fredericksburg
    • Spotsylvania
    • North Carolina Locations
    • Charlotte, NC
    • Matthews, NC
  • COVID-19
    • VA – Exam & Testing Locations
    • NC – Exam & Testing Locations
    • Covid-19 FAQ
  • COVID-19 Business Solutions
    • Business Solutions
    • Business & Organization Referrals
  • Billing
    • COVID-19 Evaluations and Testing
    • Self Pay – Virginia
    • Self Pay – North Carolina
    • PAY BILL
  • Careers

Protecting Your Eyes From Sun Damage: The importance of wearing sunglasses

Sunglasses look cool, but they’re also crucial to protecting your eyes from harmful UVA and UVB rays. It’s important to recognize that it’s not just prolonged exposure to the sun that can damage your eyes, but cumulative daily exposure also poses a risk.

Damage from the sun can include:

  • Cataracts­—up to 20 percent of the nation’s cases according to the National Eye Care Institute (NEI)
  • Macular degeneration—the leading cause of blindness in the United States
  • Pterygium—which leads to astigmatism

BetterMed nurse practitioner Elisa Bivins says, “It’s best to start wearing sunglasses at a young age. UVA rays are always around us, and their effects can lead to damage over time.”

To truly deter the negative effects of the sun, it’s important to make sunglasses part of your everyday essentials.

WHAT TO WEAR

The NEI recommends wearing sunglasses that block out 98–100 percent of UVA and UVB rays, so look for full-spectrum coverage. Most sunglasses will state on the label what percentage of UVA and UVB rays they block. The key is to purchase mid to high-quality sunglasses as they tend to have better lenses and will also fit your face appropriately, leading to less light seeping in around the sides of the sunglasses.

With children, it’s important to make sunglasses fit correctly so that they’re comfortable and not slipping off your child’s face. Take the time to assure a good fit or consult your optometrist.

WHEN TO WEAR

“Basically, you should wear your sunglasses anytime you’re outside,” said Bivins. “It’s also important to remember that they need to be worn year-round. The sun can be just as damaging during the winter. Damage doesn’t just happen at the beach.”

Wearing sunglasses consistently will help you build a habit of protecting your eyes, and it has the bonus of blocking debris like pollen and sand, which can cause different types of damage.

It’s important to teach your children to wear sunglasses at an early age. Being a good role model and encouraging them to follow your practice will help them learn to protect their eyes.

LENS TYPE

So, you’re convinced you need a new pair of sunglasses, but don’t know what kind of lenses to buy? We’re here to help! A few options will have different effects on eye protection and clarity.

Polarization

These lenses are highly reflective, so they’re great for the beach or snowy days. They have also been proven to add clarity by increasing contrast, especially at a distance. The important thing is to make sure you’re still checking the label for UV protection ratings.

Darkness

A blacked-out lens doesn’t necessarily mean the best protection. It’s your pupil, not the lens that lets light into your eye, and a pupil straining to compete with a blacked-out lens may actually let more light in. Checking the label for protection ratings is the only way to know if the sunglasses will do their job.

Protecting your eyes is serious business, and making sunglasses part of your everyday essentials is the only way to guarantee that your eyes are protected.

“The best practice is to always wear them,” explained Bivins. “It’s also a good idea to get prescription lenses if you wear corrective eyewear. You want the sunglasses to be comfortable; it’ll encourage you to wear them more often.”

Share this Story

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • E-Mail+
Prev Post
Next Post

Recent Posts

  • Focus on Wellbeing During Men’s Health Month
  • Understanding and Managing Spring Allergies
  • Staying Safe During Unpredictable Spring Weather
  • 4 Ways to Decrease Your Carbon Footprint & Improve Your Health
  • 10 Ways to Tackle Pandemic Weight Gain | | Registered Dietitian, Bethany Watkins

Blog Archive

  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • May 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • July 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • September 2015
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • January 2014
  • February 2010
  • Blog
  • Billing Inquiries
  • COVID-19 FAQ
  • Jobs
  • Terms Of Use
  • Holiday Hours & Inclement Weather Policy

Open 7 days, Hours Vary By Location

® 2022 BetterMed

Posting....