It’s great to be outdoors but remember to protect your eyes

It’s great that we can all head for the outdoors again but it’s important to remember to protect your eyes when you’re heading for the beach, to the dam or out into the country for a picnic. You’ll be sure to protect yourself from COVID-19 by packing your sanitiser, wearing your mask and keeping your distance but don’t forget to protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses. It may take a few extra moments to get the fit of mask and sunglasses right (and avoid steaming up) but the regular wearing of sunglasses helps to prevent eye surface disorders such as lesions, growths, pterygiums, eyelid cancers, photokeratitis and cataract formation. Your eyes are worth the effort! 

Just like your skin, your eyes need protection from the UV and HEV rays of the sun. Whilst you can’t apply sunblock to your eyes, you can make sure you are wearing sunglasses which block out 100% of UV rays.

Here are six things to think about when choosing your sunglasses: 

• Make sure they offer 100% UV protection
• A bigger frame offers better protection
• Darker lens don’t necessarily protect your eyes better
• The colour of the lens doesn’t impact its protection level
• Polarised lens cut glare, not UV rays
• A less expensive pair doesn’t mean it’s ineffective

If you would like advice about your eyes, please call us 033 812 2020 or email admin@pmbeyehospital.co.za