What You Can Do About UV Radiation

Whether it's winter, summer, or anywhere in-between, remember to keep your eyes protected – in style.

UV rays don’t stop just because it’s cloudy or winter. No matter the season or conditions, UV radiation can affect your vision and damage your eyes. Two stylish solutions are prescription sunglasses with UV protection for when you’re outside for long periods of time and Transitions^® lenses for everyday protection. Choose from brands like Ray-Ban, Coach, Versace, Michael Kors, and more in our performance and designer frames collection. Preparing yourself to face the dangers UV rays can exert on your eyes (and getting name-brand fashion while you’re at it) can start with an eye exam at Pearle Vision.

Clouds Don’t Stop UV Radiation
Clouds can block out sunlight but not when it comes to UV radiation. Have you ever experienced or heard about people getting sunburned on a cloudy day? The reason is clouds are no match for the strength of the sun’s UV rays: Up to 80% of the sun’s rays can penetrate them. Some clouds even enhance the sun’s rays while reflecting up to 75% of the sun’s harmful UVA/UVB radiation. That makes caring for your eyes important for you and your family even when the sun isn’t out.

Snow Is No Barrier To UV Rays
When the thermostat drops and the snow starts to fall, many believe that they can put their sunglasses in hibernation for the winter. In reality, UV radiation can be even more intense when it’s snowing, and you need sunglasses for winter. This is because snow reflects 80% of the sun’s rays, which can lead to a painful condition known as snow blindness.

Snow blindness has an array of symptoms including sensitivity to light, blurred vision, headaches, and vision loss. Fortunately, these symptoms usually dissipate within 48 hours, but you can help prevent them by wearing sunglasses whenever outdoors in snowy conditions. Sometimes, you might not even realize you’re being affected by snow blindness until hours after you’ve gone indoors.

Making sure your eyes are winter ready is as easy as arranging an eye exam at Pearle Vision or if you have a current prescription, bring it in. You can then find the perfect pair of glasses with Transitions^® lenses or prescription sunglasses to help protect your winter eyes from the sun in winter.

Protect Your Eyes Around The Neighbourhood
A day on the town is a day in the sun – and no matter how fun urban exploration is, it’s still important to remain mindful of the lurking dangers of UV radiation. It may come as a surprise, but many of the ordinary surfaces we see daily can reflect the sun’s light. Take for instance concrete which can reflect up to 12% of UV radiation. Even the white paint on the houses in your neighbourhood can pose a danger to your eye health; it can reflect 22% of the sun’s rays. To maintain your vision, be mindful of protecting your eyes even when you can't see the source affecting them.

Look Out For Unsuspecting Dangers At The Beach
Sunglasses are near the top of the must-bring items list for the beach, but what a lot of people don’t know is that protecting your eyes is important even when you’re in the shade or in the water. Dry beach sand can reflect up to 18% of UV radiation, and open ocean water can reflect 8%. Another surprising fact: White foam on ocean water can reflect up to 30% of the sun’s harmful UVA/UVB radiation.

Protecting Your Child’s Eyes
Children have especially sensitive eyes because they’re still growing, and their larger pupils allow more UV rays to reach their retinas, causing damage. This exposure can bring about vision issues later in life, like cataracts or macular degeneration.

Here’s steps you can take to protect your child’s eyes:

• It’s been found that wearing a hat only blocks about 50% of UV exposure, so it’s best to have your child wear a hat and glasses with UV protection or sunglasses.
• Get your child a pair of sunglasses with full UV protection. Costume sunglasses may look cute, but they don’t protect their eyes!
• Consider Transitions^® lenses! This will allow them to bounce between indoor and outdoor activities without needing to worry about switching glasses.
• Make sure their glasses are comfortable and fit well, so your child gets used to wearing them.

Summary
How can you deal with the sun and its eye-damaging UV rays? There’s a simple solution: sunglasses. No matter what the weather is or what you’re doing, prescription sunglasses, Transitions^® lenses, or UV-protection sunglasses are the best way to protect your eyes from the effects of radiation. Stay stylish with our performance and designer frame collections, and remember to arrange an eye exam with us to ensure you’re protecting your eyes.

Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2012/07/10/living/guide-to-sun-safety/index.html https://www.sunsmart.com.au/protect-your-skin/at-the-snow https://www.healthline.com/health/snow-blindness#:~:text=Snow%20blindness%2C%20also%20called%20arc,gives%20your%20cornea%20a%20sunburn https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/sun
https://www.wytheeyeassociates.com/why-kids-need-high-quality-sunglasses/
https://www.sunsmart.com.au/protect-your-skin/at-the-snow#:~:text=Snow%20is%20highly%20reflective.,bouncing%20off%20snow%2Dcovered%20surfaces
https://iovs.arvojournals.org/arvo/content_public/journal/iovs/933130/781.pdf http://www.who.int/uv/publications/globalindex/en/ thevisioncouncil.org