Have you ever noticed how much children love wearing sunglasses? They are fun to wear when playing dress-up and pretending to be someone else. The good news is that many doctors say that children should get in the habit of wearing sunglasses whenever they are outside. The reason is that many eye problems such as cataracts and macular degeneration are related to long-term exposure to sunlight. Over the years, exposure to the ultraviolet rays of sunlight leads to cumulative damage, increasing the risk of developing serious eye problems. One way to reduce the risk for your children is to buy them good quality children's sunglasses and helping them to develop the habit of wearing sunglasses whenever they are outside in daylight hours.
Children's Sunglasses Can Protect Them From Having Future Eye Problems
Children are particularly sensitive to the sun's rays. Their eyes are no exception.
A Person Gets Most of Their Sun Exposure Early in Life
By the time your child reaches the age of eighteen, he or she will already incur eighty percent of their lifetime exposure to ultraviolet light. Playing outside, especially at the beach, contributes to exposure to ultraviolet radiation in children. It is important to get children into the habit of wearing sunglasses whenever they go outside. This will reduce their lifetime exposure to this damaging form of sunlight.
The Skin Cancer Foundation has stated that children under the age of ten are at serious risk of developing vision problems due to their exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. During their first decade of life, children have a very clear lens in their eyes, which means that the sun's rays can penetrate more easily. This can result in greater damage to the eye because of ultraviolet rays from the sun.
Choose Quality, Well Fitting Sunglasses
It is very important to choose children's sunglasses that block more than ninety-nine percent of UVA and UVB radiation. If the glasses do not specifically state what percentage of rays they block, do not buy them.
Before you purchase any children's sunglasses, check them carefully for any defects such as areas that are warped or cracked. Once you have chosen a good pair, you must ensure that your child puts them on every time they leave the house during daylight hours. You can set a good example for your children by wearing your own sunglasses whenever you go outside in the day time.
Children's sunglasses that offer good ultraviolet protection will screen out some, but not all of the damaging rays from the sun. The reason is that some rays of the sun can still enter the eye from the sides, or the top of the glasses, and the skin can still be damaged unless the glasses are the wraparound style. Encourage your children to wear hats with wide brims to keep these harmful sun rays from entering the eye, or damaging the skin. By wearing a hat with a wide brim, the skin on the neck and face will be protected from sun damage, as well as the eyes.
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Encouraging Good Habits
Another important way to protect children from exposure to ultraviolet light is to encourage them to play in the shade during the hours when the light from the sun is most intense. This usually occurs between ten in the morning and four in the afternoon. Many children actually prefer to be in the shade during the hours when sunlight is very intense.
Investing in children's sunglasses is something that will cost very little in comparison to the benefits that your child will gain. Let your children make their own decision about which pair of sunglasses they want. Doctors say that if young children get in the habit of wearing sunglasses early in life, they will be helping to protect their vision for many decades in the future.