Sport sunglasses: These are specially designed for fast-paced activities like biking, running, or hiking. They offer wrap-around eye protection, lightweight, robust material, interchangeable lens, and clear vision. They also have grippy nose pads, and temple ends to keep them in place when you sweat during your activities. Choose a pair with high-end frame and lens materials since they are more flexible, durable, and withstand high-impact activities.
Glacier glasses: These are specially designed sunglasses that protect your eyes from intense light at high altitudes, bright light in front of you, and glare reflecting off the snow. They also offer a wrap-around extension feature that protects your eyes from the light entering from the sides.
Casual sunglasses: They are perfect for an everyday active lifestyle and basic recreational use. They shade your eyes from the sun while performing your activities.
Sunglasses have various health benefits such as:
Ultraviolet (UV) Light Protection
The most crucial benefit of sunglasses is protecting your eyes from ultraviolet (UV) light. UV light has harmful effects on the eyelids, lenses, and cornea. Exposure to lots of unfiltered sunlight may cause blindness and cancer. Children are more vulnerable than adults. Sunglasses need to be worn all year round. Reflective light is also not good such as the one from the water and snow, which causes a condition known as snow blindness. Glares from the reflected sun may also burn the cornea (corneal flash burn).
To protect yourself from glare, polarized lenses can come in handy to block out horizontal light reflected off flat surfaces. Tinted lenses may also help, especially those with a dark tint at the top that gets lighter towards the bottom portion of the lens. They also protect the eyes from UV light.
Long-term exposure to UV rays increases the risk of contracting cataracts and can worsen glaucoma.
Sunglasses Can Protect Your Eyes from Debris
Exposure to dust, wind, pollutants, and sand can lead to pain, irritation, discomfort, and redness in your eyes. The elements can also scratch your cornea and even cause permanent eye damage. Wearing sunglasses acts as a shield to protect your eyes from these elements.
Protection of The Retina
Over time, exposure to UV rays may damage the retina, causing a condition known as macular degeneration. This condition has no cure, and wearing sunglasses helps reduce the chances of developing it.
Sunglasses Can Protect Your Dry Eye
A dry eye can be very painful and uncomfortable, especially when you are outdoors and it is windy. The wind dries your eyes, resulting in redness, itchiness, and irritation. Sunglasses protect your eyes from the wind, keeping your eyes moist.
Sunglasses Help Prevent Eyelid Cancer
Sunglasses protect against eyelid cancer which may occur as a result of exposure to UV rays. Sunscreen products, when used on the sensitive skin of the eyelids, can cause irritation. To avoid this, sunglasses are a better option for protecting your eyes against eyelid cancer.
Promotion of Eye Recovery
After cataract surgery and procedures like LASIK, sunglasses can act as a protective cover or shield during recovery. Debris and sunlight can interrupt the healing process and cause pain and discomfort.
Wearing sunglasses can help promote a quick, worry-free recovery, especially when you need to go outdoors.
Migraine and Headache Prevention
If you regularly get migraines or severe headaches, the bright light from the sun may trigger them. Sunglasses keep your eyes comfortable when you are up and down performing outdoor activities. They block or soak up the sun’s rays and help avoid pain and discomfort caused by the bright light.
Green beans contain carotenoids, which are pigments made up of lutein and zeaxanthin. The human eye contains heavy concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin. That green bean casserole that you serve at every Thanksgiving meal actually helps to reduce the chances of developing macular degeneration and cataracts. Scientists have recently discovered a third carotenoid called meso-zeaxanthin, which is only produced in the retina. Consuming green beans with zeaxanthin and similar foods, such as asparagus and Brussels sprouts, helps your eyes to produce meso-zeaxanthin.
It is clear to see that many of the staples that families already serve at Thanksgiving promote good eye health. Talk to our optometrists at Lighthouse Eye Care for advice on additional foods that help contribute to the overall health of your eyes.
