Tuesday, December 11, 2012

UV Damage in the Winter Months


With the winter months upon us, we are all bundling up to protect ourselves from the chilly temperatures. One thing we can often forget to protect in the winter is our eyes. UV radiation is just as capable of causing damage to the eyes in the winter months as it is in the summer ones. While we can feel when the cold temperatures are doing damage (or maybe just making us a little chilly), UV radiation is not so easy to detect. It cannot be seen or felt which makes it particularly dangerous. Protecting your eyes in the winter is easy if you have the right sunglasses. 

The American Association of Optometrics recommends using sunglasses that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation and screen out 75 to 90 percent of visible light. The best way to ensure that you have the right UV protection in your lenses is to schedule a comprehensive exam with an optometrist. An optometrist will fit you for frames to ensure proper protection as well as provide you with lenses that meet UV-A and UV-B filtering standards. 

It is especially important to get outfitted with the proper sunglasses if you spend a lot of time outside in the winter. Cold weather activities like snowboarding and skiing mean snow - which means even more reflected light. Children should also be properly protected as they typically receive three times the annual sun exposure of adults. 

Schedule an appointment with Dr. Adamopoulos or Dr. Doan to get outfitted with the perfect shades for all of your winter outdoor fun! 

Want to know more about UV radiation damage to the eyes? Click here!

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