Prepare for Summer With These Eye Safety Tips

When the summer arrives, people can’t wait to spend time outside. While all of that time in the sunshine can feel great, it also can lead to a number of health problems if you aren’t careful. Spending long periods of time exposed to direct sunlight, whether due to work or play, can be problematic for your skin and eyes above all else. When it comes to eye protection, a quality pair of prescription sunglasses can help reduce the odds of any lasting problems. Naturally, selecting the right glasses for you can require a little bit of research.

What Makes for Excellent Eyewear

Protecting your eyes is about more than putting on any old shades. In fact, wearing sunglasses crafted without any real UV protection can do more harm than good. This is why you need to pay attention to a few details when picking your glasses. Specifically, you want to look at the percentage of UV light the lenses are designed to block. The higher the number, the more direct light is blocked. If this information is not readily available on the lenses or in the specs, then the glasses do not have any protective properties.

Exposure to UV light is what leads to eye problems down the line. In fact, studies have shown that those who do not properly shield their eyes from the sun are more likely to experience complications like macular degeneration or cataracts. Reduce the odds of this happening by exercising caution and finding a pair of glasses that meet both the standards of the industry and your own personal requirements.

What Are Polarized Sunglasses?

You might also wonder about the treatments offered to improve the experience of wearing shades in certain conditions. For anyone consistently exposed to light reflected off of surfaces like water or glass, polarized lenses might be a perfect fit. Polarized sunglasses are crafted to reduce the glare caused when light bounces off of certain surfaces, improving overall field of vision and creating a clearer picture. If you’re constantly near large bodies of water or driving for long stretches on highways in bright light, then you should definitely consider this option.

Naturally, there are also some drawbacks to polarized lenses. The UV protection offered by polarization is less impressive than lenses without this treatment. To make the best choice, consider whether you’re more likely to be exposed to horizontal light, like the kind polarization reduces, or vertical light, which is direct light from the sun and other overhead sources. Whichever you encounter more often is what you should focus on when selecting eyewear.