You would be hard-pressed to find an adult that doesn’t own sunglasses here in Florida. We do live in the Sunshine State, after all. But, what about the kids? Do they need sunglasses? You will sometimes see little ones sporting their shades, feeling like big kids. You may even see babies with sunglasses on with little elastic straps that hold them onto the babies’ heads. So, are they necessary?
Believe it or not, forms of sunglasses have existed since very early times when people would use things like bone or gems to reflect the sun’s rays or diminish the glare of the sun. According to www.glasseshistory.com, the widespread use of sunglasses began in the early 1900s. On this site, it states, “Inexpensive mass-production of sunglasses started in 1929 when Sam Foster introduced them to America.” Yes, this is the Foster of the now-famous Foster Grant company.
Sunglasses were never designed solely for fashion, but have always been manufactured with the purpose of protecting people’s eyes from the sun’s rays. We now know that the sun’s ultraviolet rays can be damaging to our skin as well as to our eyes. There are multiple eye diseases that can be linked to exposure to UV rays, according to www.webmd.com. These include macular degeneration, solar retinitis, and corneal dystrophies.
Macular degeneration can affect your vision. Solar retinitis can result in temporary loss of vision and can leave permanent holes or lesions on the eye. Corneal dystrophies can cause significant vision issues. Obviously, none of these are going to occur from forgetting your sunglasses for one day! However, it is important to take life-long care of your eyes, protecting them from the sun’s UV rays.
This brings up the question – when should a person start wearing sunglasses? We don’t think twice about slathering our kids with sunscreen. We protect their skin when we are protecting our skin. Why don’t we protect their eyes when we are protecting our eyes? Did you know that eyes can sustain sunburns too? A bad sunburn of the eyes can actually cause vision loss for up to 48 hours, according to www.yoursightmatters.com. And, of course, the same UV rays that can cause skin cancer can also cause cancer in the eyes.
Without a doubt, the answer is a resounding, “YES!” Your children need to be wearing sunglasses.
You may not have thought of it because your child may not have complained about the sun hurting his or her eyes. This could be, in part, due to the color of your child’s eyes. Lighter colored eyes are more sensitive to the sun, but all eyes can be damaged by the sun. So, even though the sun may not “bother” your child, it is still important for them to wear sunglasses. Just like you don’t let them go without sunscreen, don’t let them go without sunglasses!
Solar Solutions wants to suggest another way to help protect your family from the sun’s harmful UV rays. It is having your vehicle’s and home’s windows tinted. Any way that you can protect your family from the harmful effects of the sun’s UV rays is a good thing. Solar Solutions uses the highest quality products and can have your home’s or vehicle’s windows tinted in one day (unless your home is unusually large!). One day your neck is burning sitting on your couch with the window behind it; the next day you are sitting there comfortably! We serve Vero Beach, Sebastian, Port St. Lucie, Melbourne Beach, Palm Bay, Viera, and surrounding areas with our window tinting services. Please give us a call today. Your skin and eyes are too important to ignore!