Bissell Eye Care, Sunglasses

ARE YOUR SUNGLASSES REALLY PROTECTING YOUR EYES?

by ArticlesBlog
Bissell Eye Care, Sunglasses
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.

IS MY CHILD READY FOR SUNGLASSES?

by Articles

We all love sunshine, but the UV rays that the sun puts out aren’t good for our eyes. As adults, we put on sunglasses and enjoy the outdoors. But, how often do you see kids wearing sunglasses? Children spend much more time outdoors than many adults and it’s important for them to have sunglasses that block 100 percent of the UV rays.

Young children and toddlers will mimic what they see their parents and older siblings doing. If they express interest in wearing sunglasses, allowing them to pick something they like may result in the likelihood of them wearing the sunglasses. For infants and very young toddlers, a visor or hat may be a better choice.

Children’s eyes are more susceptible to UV and HEV radiation than adult eyes because the lens inside a child’s eye is less capable of filtering these high-energy rays. This is especially true for young children. Begin wearing protective sunglasses outdoors as early in life as possible.

Think about looking out into the ocean or on a lake. If you’re on a boat you tend to burn easier because the sun reflects off the water. The same applies to ski slopes. These reflective environments cause an increase in the UV rays. Protective sun wear is important for the entire family.

When choosing sunglasses, buy a pair with a label saying it blocks 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays. Labels that say the glasses meet ANSI (American National Standards Institute) requirements or block UV absorption up to 400 nm (nanometers) mean you’re getting this protection, too.

Sunglasses for children come in rubber frames for rugged use. Tinted goggles help protect eyes from snow glare. Choose polycarbonate for your child’s sunglass lenses, because it’s very shatter-resistant.
As children age, they may begin to follow trends in sunglasses that mimic styles of adult sunglasses and are rich in colors. Clip-on sunglasses are available for prescription eyeglasses and some types of clip-ons are designed to magnetically attach to the glasses. Brand names such as Disney are also popular.

Sunglasses are important for the entire family. For questions regarding sunglass fitting for your child, give our office a call.

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.