Summer is HERE! What’s your favorite hobby/sport during the warm months? Is it fishing, spending time on the river, improving your golf game…? We offer Oakley, Nike, Ray Ban, Wiley X, EasyClip sunglasses and more. On top of those, you can make most of our frames into prescription and non-prescription sunglasses as well.
With warmer weather here there are two types of UV radiation that you should watch out for, UVA and UVB. UVA rays are less intense but more prevalent. This type is linked to skin cancer, aging and the development of cataracts. UVB rays are very dangerous to the eyes and are the primary cause of sunburns and cancer. These rays can reflect off of snow, water, sand, and concrete. This is why it is important to start wearing sunglasses that block out 100% of UV rays. UV rays are also linked to different eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts.
Here are a few tips to ensure you are doing what you can to protect your eyes from UV rays.
- Wear proper sunglasses
- Add a wide brimmed hat
- Know your environmental risk factors (high altitudes, location, surroundings)
- Know additional risk factors (medications, previous eye surgeries or eye diseases, or certain fields such as medical, welding, or radiation)
- Regular eye exams
When ordering sunglasses there are different lens options that help protect UV rays. Here are our most common lens options but not limited to-
- Polarized lenses help reduce glare from light reflecting off glass, water, snow, sand, or pavement. You should consider polarized lenses if you participate in water or snow sports such as fishing, boating, or skiing as the water and snow can create a strong glare.
- Tinted lenses can enable you to see better or more comfortably under certain circumstances. Lens tints can distort or reduce vision and some can even harm your vision by increasing your pupil size which leads to an increase of UV radiation into the eye. Look for lenses with a medium tint that keeps your eyes comfortable and do not have a negative impact on your vision. Specific tint recommendations can depend on your lifestyle or desired activities (ex. golfing vs fishing) and the health of your eyes (ex. cataracts tend to cause more glare).
If you have an active prescription, no appointment is needed to order your sunglasses! Just stop in at either office and one of our technicians will help you pick out the perfect pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes this summer! If you are in need of an eye exam, you can schedule online or call our office at 608-782-7127.
