Do you wear sunglasses as often as you wear sunscreen? What about a hat?
Most American’s do not or do not know of the harmful effects the sun can have on our vision according to a recent online survey by WellPoint Inc. and Transitions Optical. Again information to share as I mentioned last week about needing sunglasses on grey days, you need sunglasses almost everyday! Sunscreen and potentially a hat are some things many of us remember to bring on a vacation or a sunny fall day at sporting events but what about sunglasses (the sunscreen for our eyes)?
Like the SelectSpecs.com survey results, this survey also showed that many American’s don’t wear sunglasses enough or know how important they are. Of the 2,500 survey participants (18 years and older) 41% said when they go outside they rarely think about protective eye wear. The top worries of the survey participants from the sun were sunburn, skin cancer, heat stroke/exhaustion, dehydration, and wrinkles-nothing related to our vision. And although it is important to continually protect our skin from the sun all year long, it is also vital to know about the sun’s effects on our vision and then protect our eye sight by wearing protective eye wear like sunglasses.
{{{image-547}}}Not knowing enough (being in the dark) about the sun’s effects on our eyes and vision seems to be the root of the cause for not protecting our eyes more. We are forgetful as forgetting our sunglasses is the top reason most of us don’t wear protective eye wear more often. Forgetting is something I continually do especially as it grows darker in the mornings and I don’t need sunglasses to drive to work. Afternoons though tend to be bright and sunny as I drive home and I am in need of sunglasses which is not helpful if they are at home!
Eye care doctors like those at Dr. Tavel suggest carrying your sunglasses in a protective case with you always, making it a habit to have them with you to put on during any weather condition where UV rays can damage your eyes (it doesn’t just have to be bright and sunny for damage to occur!) And just as a rule of thumb, any time you wear a hat or put on sunscreen you should be wearing sunglasses as well outdoors. The best sunglasses are those that are polarized like the Purifier polarized sunglasses at Dr. Tavel as these are the only glasses and lenses that block annoying glare outside! But for most of the survey participants, making sunglass wear a habit is not easy and 90% said they would purchase a product if it was convenient and effective to protect their eyes at all times.
Children’s eyes are at the most risk for vision damage from UV rays, a statistic only a third of those surveyed, 36% said they knew. Thus, sunglasses and protective eye wear should be a must for children during much outdoor play or car rides.
Further awareness and educational efforts are essential from the results of this survey. Get a pair of sunglasses today (or stop forgetting them) and wear them to protect your vision!