UV Protection for Healthy Eyes

I have shared before that I am a skin cancer survivor, actually I have been blessed to have beaten it twice. This makes me a huge advocate for using sunscreen and taking every precaution possible to make sure my family is protected in the elements.

Did you know that there is more than just your skin that is at risk of being damaged by UV Rays? Your eyes are at risk for severe damage from these harmful rays and your children’s eyes are even at a higher risk. Make sure you are protecting your eyes from the sun at all times and check out these facts:

• Researchers estimate that a significant amount of lifetime exposure to UV rays may occur by age 18 and that children’s annual dose of radiation may be up to three times that of adults. That’s why it is so important to protect children’s eyes with appropriate eyewear. More is better when it comes to protecting your family’s eyes from the sun.
• Direct sunlight is extremely damaging to your eyes however reflected UV rays can be even more dangerous. According to HealthyWomen.Org “fresh snow reflects as much as 80 percent of UV radiation; dry sand about 15 percent; and sea foam about 25 percent. And, because you’re more likely to look down than up, more UV light is reflected directly into your eyes.”

Ways to Protect Your Eyes:

1. Wear sunglasses year round
2. Wear wide brimmed hats
3. Use an umbrella for extra sun coverage
4. Wear UV-blocking contact lenses

Starting healthy habits early and setting a good example for your children to follow is really important. I always have sunglasses with me (most likely on my head if not on my eyes ;)), we always apply sunscreen when we go outside and the boys wear hats even when it is overcast outside.

I’m actually shopping for a wide brimmed hat for myself currently as well as a new pair of shades! Make sure when you choose a pair of glasses labeled as blocking at least 99 percent of UV rays and with lenses large enough to completely cover your eyes.

I’ve been a longtime contact lens wearer and recently my teenager took the plunge and started wearing them too. After years of wearing glasses T-Bone convinced me to let him try contacts. Did you know only 2 percent of contact lens wearers follow all the rules for safe use? That’s not a lot of contact wearers following the safe rules for something we put directly on our eyes that allows us to see everything out there! We made an appointment at our optometrist and had him fitted for soft contacts and to make sure we both were practicing the best habits we went over some care tips for our contacts.

Wear & Care Tips for Contact Users:

1. Before handling your lenses, wash and rinse your hands thoroughly with a mild soap and dry them with a lint-free towel. Don’t use oily cosmetics or soaps containing lotion or cold cream before touching your lenses.
2. Stick to the time period recommended for your lenses. If they are two-week lenses, don’t try to stretch them out to a month, for example
3. Never wear someone else’s contact lenses
4. Do not mix brands of contact solution
5. Replace your lens case at least every three months

T-Bone has been really great about healthy habits with his contacts and helped me to be more diligent in my own eye care. It’s almost a role reversal! He reminds me to change my contacts out often and to not wear them for too long each day, he’s been my little accountability partner!

Many contact lenses don’t offer UV protection and, in fact, most do not. Ask your eye care professional about lenses with UV blocking for an added layer of protection. We are lucky to be able to use ACUVUE® OASYS® Brand Contact Lenses, and for those who prefer a daily disposable contact lens, 1-DAY ACUVUE® TruEye® Contact Lenses, offer the highest level of UV-blocking available in a contact lens.*

Make sure you visit the Eye Health Center at HealthyWomen.Org can provide you with many more facts and easy tips to protect your family’s eyes from harmful UV rays.

What tips do you have to share about how your family is protecting their eyes from the sun?

*Please note that although UV-blocking contact lenses are beneficial in helping to protect against harmful UV rays entering into the eye, long-term clinical studies have not been done to show that they directly reduce the risk of any specific eye disease or condition. That is why they should always be worn in conjunction with high-quality UV-blocking sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat.