HOW & WHY TO SELECT A
Good Quality Pair
OF SUNGLASSES
This is what the sun does to your eyes:
1. The skin around the eyes, in particular the eyelids, is made up
of a very thin tissue. Over time, repeated UV exposure can lead
to wrinkles, age spots, and small skin cancers. 10% of all skin
cancers occur on the eyelids!
2. Sun damage can cause a condition called pinguecula, a
thickening of the clear thin membrane that covers the white of the
eye. This causes raised bumps on the eye, near the cornea, which
can become irritated and inflamed. If this thickens and grows over
the cornea, it’s called pterygium which obscures vision in that eye.
3. The macula is the part of the retina where we have straight
ahead vision and detailed vision. That macula can start to
deteriorate, leading to macular degeneration, which causes
permanent loss of central and detailed vision. UV light and high
energy blue light contribute to this condition.
4. Blue eyed people are more susceptible to macular degeneration
and especially need to wear sunlasses to protect the retina.
5. Behind the pupil of the eye is the crystalline lens which
focuses light on the retina. When the lens becomes clouded, the
resulting condition is cataracts. Exposure to UV contributes to the
development of cataracts. Wearing sunglasses and a hat slows the
process.
6. A common summertime scenario is a day at the lake or the
beach. On the