Many people don’t know that the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage their eyes. These rays cause a variety of eye problems, including cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. If you want to protect your eyes from the sun, you can wear sunglasses or contact lenses that have UV protection.
Some people have the misconception that all contacts and sunglasses have the same UV protection. Unfortunately, this is not the case and not all lenses are created equal.
Fortunately, some brands offer contact lenses that provide enhanced levels of UV protection, including U.S. Food and Drug Administration Class 1 and Class 2 contacts that block at least 90% of UVA and 99% of UVB. These lenses are designed to shield your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays and are often recommended by eye doctors as a supplement to wearing sunglasses.
There are also new light-adaptive contact lenses on the market that darken as they reflect more sunlight and prevent UV damage when outdoors. These contact lenses are approved by the FDA and are a great option for people who need more than UV-blocking lenses.
When paired with sunglasses, the combination of these two items can be even more effective at preventing UV damage to your eyes. Talk to your optometrist about the type of UV-protection contact lenses and sunglasses that will work best for you and your lifestyle.
Most sunglasses allow the peripheral UV radiation to enter the eyes from above, below and through the sides, leaving your eye exposed to the sun’s rays. Year after year of this exposure can cause damage to the aqueous humor, crystalline lens and retina.
Long-term exposure to UV rays can also increase your risk of developing cataracts, so it’s important to protect your eyes from the sun with high-quality UV-blocking sunglasses or UV-absorbing goggles. The UV-blocking sunglasses and UV-absorbing goggles should be worn with your contact lenses to protect your eyes at all times.
In order to get the most benefit from UV-blocking contact lenses, you should use them with a pair of sunglasses that offer 100% protection. This is the only way to ensure that all areas of your eye are covered and protected from UV rays.
Some people are not aware of the fact that a lot of the UV rays that we get from the sun penetrate our skin, so the sun isn’t just damaging our eyes. It can also cause serious skin damage and burns.
A large number of studies have shown that UV-absorbing contact lenses can help to prevent harmful cellular changes in the cornea and aqueous humor. They also can reduce the occurrence of precataractous changes and preserve visual clarity after prolonged UV exposure.
It’s no wonder that many people are looking to add UV protection to their daily eyewear routine, but it can be difficult to choose from all the different options available. That’s why it is so important to talk to your optometrist and get a recommendation that will suit your eye health and the level of sun exposure you get.