We all know how important eye protection is for overall health. So, you could only imagine how crucial it is for young children to be protected from harmful rays. Vision-care experts are raising awareness of the danger of overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Children are especially vulnerable to the sun’s rays, as their ocular lenses aren’t yet mature and have a more difficult time filtering out UV light. The average child takes in about three times the annual UV exposure of the average adult, and an estimated 25% of a person’s lifetime exposure occurs before age 18.
Here are some tips on how to better protect your children’s eyes.
- Block out 99-100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation
- Screen out 75-90 percent of visible light
- Be perfectly matched in color and free of distortion and imperfection
- Have gray, green, or brown lenses
- SEEK SHADE: Avoid sun exposure during the sun’s peak hours. Explain the “shadow rule” to your kids: short shadows = seek shade.
- COVER UP: clothing + a broad-brimmed hat + sunscreen + UV protective sunglasses = protection
- Make sure their eyeglasses filter both UVB and UVA rays. In summer, choose sunglasses that wrap around for maximum protection