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May 2019
Do you know the A, B, C’s of UV protection? Most of us have heard about UV protection when it comes to sunblock. But your eyes need protecting just as much as your skin. The sun produces harmful UV radiation in the form of UVA, UVB and UVC.
So what can you do about it?
Invest in a high-quality pair of UV protection sunglasses. But before we get into how to pick the right sunglasses in Bristol for your eye health, let’s cover those A, B, C’s we mentioned at the start.
The full spectrum of UV radiation
The sun emits 3 kinds of UV radiation:
UVC is largely blocked by the earth’s atmosphere so does not reach our eyes.
UVB does the most short term damage to our skin and eyes and is absorbed by the cornea.
UVA is very damaging in the long term and can pass straight through to the back of your eyes.
UVA and UVB can damage our eyes in a variety of different ways. One of the short-term consequences is photokeratitis, more commonly known as sunburned corneas, which presents as teary, gritty, inflamed eyes. While this particular eye condition usually resolves in 48 hours, there are many others that result in long-term damage. UV radiation significantly increases your risk of developing cataracts, macular degeneration and eyelid cancers too.
What can you do about it?
Protecting your eyes against UV radiation is as simple as wearing UV protection sunglasses. However, not all sunglasses can protect your eyes from UV radiation. In fact, dark glasses that lack a UV protection coating actually put your eyes at greater risk of damage, as your pupils dilate letting in more light and therefore more harmful UV radiation.
So here’s what you need to consider when buying sunglasses in Bristol:
Make sure the sunglasses offer 100% protection against UVA and UVB.
Go for large or wraparound frames that offer more coverage to better protect your eyes, eyelids and surrounding skin.
Darker lenses make it easier to see in especially bright conditions but the darkest rated sunglasses (level 4 on a scale of 0–4) are not suitable for use when driving.
Tinted lenses don’t affect UV protection but alter contrast, which can be beneficial for certain sporting activities.
Polarised lenses are great for reducing eye strain as they reduce glare from reflected light, such as that from the road, bodies of water and snow.
Here to help
With so much to consider when purchasing sunglasses, it is well worth visiting Juul & Payne, your trusted opticians in Bristol. We can help you make the right choice from our extensive range of sunglasses. Looking for Maui Jim sunglasses in the UK? We stock those too!
Maui Jim sunglasses are one of only a handful of eyewear brands approved by the Skin Cancer Foundation, offering 100% UV protection and unrivalled polarisation technology. Come see for yourself, visit us in-store today.