Eye Care : in extreme weather condition

The eyes are the organs with which we view the world and they are widely referred to as our windows to the soul. Thus, the eyes are one of the special senses we possess that help us perceive the world around us.

While the eyes are amazingly intricate and resilient, there is only so much abuse they can take. Over the course of many years, simple day-to-day actions and negligence of some precautionary measures can damage the eyes. Here are some dangers to avoid:

Ultraviolet Exposure

Sunglasses are much more than “cool shades” They’re protective barriers that cut down exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, a portion of the sun’s rays that can cause eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

Ophthalmologists recommended that you protect your eyes whenever you’re in the sun long enough to get a suntan or sunburn. Wearing a brimmed hat cuts sunlight exposure to your eyes by about half. Sunglasses will further boost your protection. The sun’s rays can also give off reflection from water, sand, and snow, so it’s advisable to wear sunglasses in addition to a wide brimmed hat.   

You can get good UV blocking even with inexpensive sunglasses. Recommendations are that no more than 30 percent of sunlight should reach your eyes. In bright places, such as the beach, it might be better to wear sunglasses with a transmission factor of only 10 percent. Keep in mind too that overly dark glasses with no UV blocking give you no protection whatsoever. In fact, they increase your risk of eye damage because they dilate your pupils. That lets more light in without blocking the harmful UV rays.

Here are a few points to keep in mind while buying sunglasses

• Lens colour has no bearing on level of UV protection
• Polarized lenses are not necessary for UV protection, but they do cut glare from reflective surfaces
• Sunglasses that are darker on top and gradually clearing toward the bottom don’t shield your eyes well enough when you’re out in the open sunlight, such as the beach.
• Test non-prescription sunglasses for distortion by holding them a few inches in front of your eyes. Look through the glasses to focus on some rectangular shape, such as a window frame. Move the glasses slowly from side to side, then up and down. If straight lines look squiggly, the lenses are of poor quality.
• Be sure the sunglasses feel comfortable; otherwise, you won’t want to wear them for a long periods of time.
• Be sure the sunglasses are labeled as providing protection from ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B (UVA  and UVB) radiation.
• Remember that price is not a good indicator of sunglasses’ protective quality. Some very expensive designer sunglasses do not provide very good protection against the sun.