We offer a variety of ‘safe’ sunglasses!

As summer approaches it is time to break out those sunglasses and head to the pool or jump in the car to go watch your favorite sporting event. In either case as you rush past the mirror you catch a quick glimpse of yourself and stop taking a moment to ensure that you are up with the newest fashion trends before heading on your way. That’s when it hits you, time for a new pair of sunglasses to help maintain the new fashionable look.

Buying a pair of sunglasses that offer little more than looks and some shade for your eyes can not only fail you at blocking out the proper amount of sunlight, but they can also cause short term and long term damage to your eyes. Bissell Eye Care carries a full line of RXable (either prescription or nonprescription) sunglasses in a variety of styles and colors. Did you know that buying the right pair of sunglasses can help to ensure your vision well into the future?

With May being Ultraviolet Awareness Month, I want my readers to learn the importance of wearing not just any pair of sunglasses but the right pair of sunglasses. Your eyes, just like your skin, are vulnerable to not only the UV rays that are given off by the sun but also by the blue light that the sun produces. Some damages from UV rays and blue light include but are not limited to:

• Ultraviolet damage can include:
  • Photokeratitis which is often referred to as snow blindness or sunburn of the eye. This is usually a short term but can be very painful.
  • Long term effects of UV exposure can include but are not limited to cataracts, cancer of the eyelids, eye, or surrounding areas and a condition known as Pterygium. Pterygium is a condition where the covering of the white of the eye grows onto the cornea.
• Blue light damage can include:
  • Blue light has been shown to cause damage to the retina which can lead to macular degeneration which is the leading form of blindness. Macular degeneration can cause difficulty to see at night, read, recognize people and faces and even can cause total loss of vision.

When looking for a new cool pair of shades there are a couple different qualities that you should look for to not only stay fashionable but to also help protect your eyes from both short term and long term damage.

• Ensure the lens is 99-100% resistant against UV rays.
• Polarized lenses block out not only direct rays from the sun but also light reflecting off surfaces such as water, snow or reflective metals.
• Blue light blocking.
• Photo Chromic lenses adjust with the light and can be a compromise from buying dark lenses allowing you to see well in different level of brightness.
• Wrap around frames and lenses help to block out the light from all angles providing the best protection for your eyes.

Remember this summer as you grab the keys running out the door to go enjoy the nice weather the effects the sun has on our bodies. It is important to protect not only your skin but also your eyes. If you have any questions about proper eye protection stop in and see us so we can help you ensure you enjoy your summer and seeing all it has to offer!

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.