Fashion isn’t the only criteria that you need to consider when choosing your eyewear. There are a variety of choices such as corrective lenses, sunglasses and protective eyewear. Let’s take a look at the reasons behind choosing the last two eyewear choices.

Why Should We Wear Sunglasses?

Over time, exposure to UV rays from the sun can increase your risk of cataracts, certain cancers and growths in or around the eyes. Sunglasses can lower your risk of these problems. When choosing sunglasses, pick ones that block out at least 99 percent of UV rays. If you wear corrective lenses, be sure to ask your optometrist about photochromatic lenses. Photochromic lenses remain clear; outdoors, where there’s quite a bit of UV light coming down from the sun, they darken automatically.  You can wear a wide-brimmed hat for additional protection as well.

Why Should We Use Protective Eyewear?

Roughly a third of all emergency room visits for eye-related issues stem from traumatic eye injuries, according to a recent study in the journal Ophthalmology.[i] To help prevent these injuries, wear the right protective eyewear when doing activities that could cause eye injuries, such as home repair, machine shops, garden work and sports.

Healthy Vision is An Ongoing Process

“People don’t often realize that simple, everyday actions can help them preserve their vision well through their golden years,” said Rebecca J. Taylor, M.D., clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “We encourage everyone to take these steps in order to keep their eyes healthy.”

To learn more ways to keep your eyes healthy, visit our offices. We welcome your questions. You can also visit the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s public information website at www.aao.org/eye-health for more information.

 

 

Resource:

[i]Eye-related Emergency Department Visits in the United States, 2010,Vaziri, et al. Ophthalmology, April 2016.