Summer is time for peak relaxation mode. But you might not want to get too relaxed ― at least when it comes to eye safety. Some of the most enjoyable aspects of the sunny season ― the breeze, the waves, the intoxicating blend of sunscreen and frozen cocktails, the sun itself ― all have the potential to wreak havoc on our eyes if we don’t take protective measures.
Here are the biggest risk factors and mistakes eye experts see people experiencing in the summer: Focusing on fashionable rather than protective sunglasses. Sun damage is the most pressing and obvious culprit of the bunch. Leaving eyes unprotected can lead to such eye issues as cataracts, retinal disease and even eye cancers.
That’s why Dr. Nicole Bajic , an ophthalmologist at the Cleveland Clinic, recommends seeking sunglasses with 100 percent UV protection, or UV 400, to protect against damaging UVA and UVB rays. “What’s interesting is the cost of sunglasses doesn’t correlate with effectiveness,” she told HuffPost.
“You can have cheap sunglasses that have proper UV protection. You just have to make sure it’s designated on the label. UV protection is not that expensive to add; in fact, sometimes the designer sunglasses will have less protection.
You have to look at the label.” While the price tag isn’t necessarily the best indicator of how effective a pair of sunglasses will be, there are a few other things to consider when picking a pair. Though the fashion industry would like us to believ.
