Sunshine on your face? Great. But hold on a second before you squint like a startled owl. Those shades you love aren't just there to make you look like a rock star (though, hey, they totally do that too). Sunglasses are your eyes' ultimate wingmen, shielding them from the sun's not-so-friendly rays.
Here's why sunglasses are cooler than, well, a shady cat under a palm tree:
UV Rays? Bid them goodbye. Those invisible UV rays can up your risk for cataracts, macular degeneration, and even eye cancer. Sunglasses that block 100 per cent of UVA and UVB rays are your eyes' bodyguards.
Eye strain, Adios. Squinting at the sun is like staring at your phone on max brightness – not exactly chill. Sunglasses with tinted lenses reduce glare, letting you see comfortably and keep your eyes feeling fresh.
Glare got nothin' on you. Sunlight bouncing off water, snow, or even the sidewalk can be a real drag (and a safety hazard!). Sunglasses help you see clearly, whether you're shredding waves or conquering city streets.
Windblown? No problem. Dust, debris, rogue bugs – they're no match for your sunglasses. These shades act like a shield, keeping your eyes safe from whatever the wind throws your way.
Forget the wrinkles. Too much sun can lead to crow's feet. Sunglasses help minimise sun exposure around your eyes, keeping you looking youthful.
As Boopathy Murugavel, a specialist ophthalmology in Dubai explains, your sunglasses are more than just a fashion statement, they are key to better eye health.
UVA rays also play a role in skin cancer formation. In addition, the UVA rays penetrate more deeply into the skin and play a greater role in premature skin aging changes including wrinkle formation.
Sun rays and harm
Sun’s out, harmful rays out.
Without your shades, your eyes can suffer some serious damage. Science says so. According to a 2014 study by the US National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, prolonged UV radiation can damage proteins in the eye’s lens.
Sunglasses are essential, in order to reduce harmful UV rays from the sun entering the eye. These harmful UV rays can cause cataract formation at an earlier age and also lead to problems in the retina....
When you forgo your sunglasses, the ultraviolet radiation (UVA) easily penetrates the eyes as Millicent Griim, a Dubai-based ophthalmologist, emphasises. The eye structures have a rather delicate nature. The retina, located at the back of the eye, contains a particularly sensitive area called the macula. This area is crucial for sharp central vision and helps us see details clearly. It also helps in transmitting messages to the brain.
Light entering the eye can directly impact the functioning of the macula, causing impair. The cornea, the clear dome at the front of the eye, acts as a natural barrier, filtering out most light rays, she explains. However, it can't block UV rays completely. Unfiltered UV rays, particularly UVA rays, penetrate the cornea and reach the retina. These rays can damage the proteins in the lens and can also directly affect the macula, leading to macular degeneration. In this case, the macula breaks down, and you lose your central vision.
The front part of your eye, can also get damaged by another type of UV radiation called UVB rays. The cornea and retina work together to focus light on the back of the eye. And so, the continuous exposure of the eyes to ultraviolet radiation can lead to a whole host of eye problems, as she explains. This includes cataracts, macular degeneration and possibly eye cancer.”
The illnesses caused by the UV rays
There is a range of illnesses and eye troubles that come from ditching your sunglasses. Ophthalmologists provide a lowdown.
Cataracts: Cataract formation is when the proteins in the lens of the eyes start to break down and clump together. Over time, this clump clouds the area on your lens, leading to blurry vision.
Photokeratitis: This is a sunburn, but for the eyes. It occurs when your eyes have prolonged contact with UV rays. The common symptoms are seeing halos, redness, constant tearing up, and a sensitivity to bright light.
Macular degeneration: Just like cataracts, you're more prone to this disease if your eyes are hit by UV ray over long periods of time. You start seeing two images instead of one, and you would find it hard to see at night. The brightest colours start seeming faded or yellow. Straight lines look wavy or bent, and you’ll have trouble seeing for a few minutes after entering a dark room.
Pterygium: This occurs, owing to wind, dust and UV rays. A growth forms on the clear coating of the white part of your eye, called the conjunctiva. It starts as pinguecula, which is a yellowish growth and can build on its own. This growth makes it hard for you to see.
Skin cancer around the eyes: The skin around your eyes is rather delicate and thin. Owing to this structure, the UV rays can damage them more, and can make you more prone to skin cancers near your eyelids.
Glaucoma: Referred to as the “thief of sight”, glaucoma typically develops when the drainage system in the eye becomes less efficient, leading to a buildup of fluid and increased intraocular pressure, damaging the optic nerve. Nandini Sankaranarayanan, Specialist Ophthalmologist, Medcare, explains, "The optic nerve is something like a cable with messages from the eye to the brain, where these messages are translated into the pictures we see. When it's damaged, our vision can become blurry, and we may even lose sight in severe cases. Glaucoma comes in many forms, but most cases are linked to open-angle glaucoma. It's slow with mostly no pain, hence the importance of regular eye checks to be able to discover it early," she says. However as she and Murugavel concur, slapping on a pair of shades might not prevent glaucoma as UV rays don’t directly cause the disease, but it can possibly reduce the risk.
"One of the major risk factors is eye pressure which is not caused by sunlight exposure," says Sankaranarayanan.
How to choose the right sunglasses
It’s not just any pair of sunglasses; you need to exercise caution when you buy your shades.
As Sumit Sukhi, a Dubai-based specialist opthalomologist at Prime GP of Healthcare, emphasises, make sure you invest carefully in a strong pair of protective shades. So, as he advises, choose sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays, and from a reliable manufacturer. “The sunglasses will say what level of UVA and UVB protection they offer on the sticker or printed right on the tag,” he notes. For glaucoma patients, check the thin metallic coatings on the shades too. These help reduce the amount of visible light entering your eyes. The mirror coating acts a shield on the glasses, and protects the eye area.
Choose sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays, and from a reliable manufacturer. The sunglasses will say what level of UVA and UVB protection they offer on the sticker or printed right on the tag...
Secondly, check the colour of the lenses, says Grim. “Opt for brown lenses if you have macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy. These colours enhance contrast, which help your eyesight,” she says. Brown, gray, or yellow lenses help in minimising colour distortion.
Sunglasses also have some form of a filter, especially polarised sunglasses, which aid in reducing reflections caused by solar glare from surfaces such as water bodies, snow, and roads. This helps to enhance visibility and reduce ocular fatigue, which further contributes to allowing the eyes added comfort and safety in intense light conditions, explains Sankaranarayanan.
Sunglasses also have some form of a filter, especially polarised sunglasses, which aid in reducing reflections caused by solar glare from surfaces such as water bodies, snow, and roads. This helps to enhance visibility and reduce ocular fatigue...
Check with your optometrists however, before buying.
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