4 health benefits of rocking Sunglasses this summer!
Each month, we feature a post on eye health and eye care written by our very own Bôhten Optometrist Dr. Henry. Providing insight on the dos and don'ts of eye care is our way of educating our community with the hope of improving eye health overall.
Sunglasses are more than fashion accessories. Aside from complementing your look, they also offer protection to the eyes from the harmful effects of intense sunlight, which especially occurs during summer. Our in house Optometrist Dr. Henry shares his list of 4 health benefits to wearing sunglasses this summer:
1. Protect your retina
The retina is a layer of tissue at the back of your eye that senses light and sends images to your brain for interpretation. This part of the eye can be threatened by a condition called Macular degeneration. This condition could lead to the deterioration of the retina. Macula degeneration has been potentially correlated with UV exposure. Therefore, it’s advisable to wear your sunglasses in order to help prevent it.
2. Prevent cancer
Believe it or not, but eyelid cancer is a thing. Your eyelids are thin and sensitive pieces of skin that are just as susceptible to skin cancer as other parts of your body that are exposed to the sun. Frequent sun exposure can lead to this particular cancer if you don’t engage in the right protective tactics. Since you can’t exactly put sunscreen on your eyelids, make sure to protect them with sunglasses that have UV protection.
3. Reduce your risk of cataracts
Most cataracts develop when aging or injury changes the tissue that makes up the eye's lens. The effect of UV on the lens cannot be underestimated. The longer your eyes are exposed to UV rays, the higher the risk of cataracts forming. Make sure to wear your sunglasses in order to help protect your eyes from the formation of cataracts.
4. Protect your cornea from possible sunburn
The transparent part of the eye that covers the iris and the pupil and allows light to enter the eye is called our cornea. Continuous exposure of the cornea to UV can cause damage to it. Wearing a pair of UV-protecting sunglasses will help to prevent any damage to the cornea.
Make sure you have the right sunglasses on.
Not all sunglasses would keep your eyes protected from the dreading effect of UV. When purchasing a pair of sunglasses, ensure you are buying ones that have UV protection. Bôhten sunglasses have a wide range of stylish frames that feature either polarization or UV 400 protection.
We've highlighted in photos above four Bôhten frames to help protect your eyes from the sun this summer. Be sure to check out their details below:
- Aristotle Gold Ebony Sun polarized
- Bond blue UV 400
- Manyara Ebony Sun Polarized
- Legend Lavender Sun Polarized
Feature written by Optometrist Dr. Henry