Sunglasses: More Than Just For Looks

Keep your eyes healthy and safe with a pair of sunglasses

Although often considered more of a fashion accessory, sunglasses are essential to protecting the human eye from harmful sunrays. Discover how a simple pair of sunglasses can help keep your eyes healthy and why they should become a regular part of your routine.

Potential eye diseases and problems

Many eye cancers and vision problems have been linked to excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays produced by the sun. Here are just few examples.

Cataracts: Long-term ultraviolet exposure can lead to the development of a cataract. Not only do cataracts potentially cause near-sightedness and reduce the perception of certain colors, but if untreated they can lead to blindness.

Photokeratitis: Also referred to as welder's eye or snow blindness, photokeratitis, is the inflammation of the eye's cornea and occurs when the eye has been exposed to intense ultraviolet rays for a long period of time. If the deeper layers of the cornea are affected, the eye can develop a permanent scar, which will impact vision forever.

Eye cancers: While some eye cancers develop as a result of another type of cancer in the body, some start in the eye simply because the eye has been exposed and damaged by ultraviolet rays.

Providing protection

To protect yourself from the diseases and vision problems above, the medical field simply advices you to make sunglasses part of your daily routine. By wearing them on a regular basis, you prevent strong light and harmful rays from reaching your eyes.

You also can step up the amount of protection you are receiving from your sunglasses by purchasing a pair that provides information on its safety and effectiveness. However, don't assume you have to spend a fortune for quality protection. A recent study indicated there is no link between expensive sunglasses and the protection they provide.