How to Protect Eyes From the Sun

Our eyes are highly susceptible to sun damage. Sunlight contains UV rays, which are invisible high-energy rays. If these rays are absorbed by your eyes, they can cause or enhance eye ailments. UV light causes an irreversible negative reaction in eye tissue and can lead to cataracts, pterygium (tissue growth on the whites of the eyes), cancer on the eyelids and macular degeneration. Use precautionary measures to protect your eyes from the sun.

Things You'll Need

• Quality sunglasses
• Wide-brimmed hat or visor

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Instructions

• 1

  Wear sunglasses to block harmful UV rays while you're outside in sunlight. Sunglasses should be worn no matter what the time of year, but take extra precautions in the hot summer months of June, July and August. Be sure to grab your shades, even on cloudy days.

• 2

  Choose sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays. The glasses should block 80 percent of transmissible light. Those that block visible blue light are even safer.

• 3

  Purchase glasses with large lenses that fit close to your eyes and wrap slightly around your head. These will block the largest amount of light.

• 4

  Wear a wide-brimmed hat or visor when in direct sunlight. This offers protection to your eyes by creating shade around your face.

• 5

  Try UV protective contact lenses to add an additional layer of protection. However, sunglasses are still needed to protect the area of the eye that is not covered by the lens.

• 6

  Inspect your sunglasses regularly to make sure they are perfectly matched in color and are free of distortion and imperfection.

• 7

  Try gray-colored sunglass lenses that reduce the light intensity without altering the color of objects, providing the most natural color vision.