Kids and sunglasses: facts you need to know

An article by Lucy    No Comments

We already wrote about importance of eye protection, but what about kids?!

Why do kids need to wear sunglasses?

Sun safety is a concern for people of all ages but it is of crucial importance for the children who are way more susceptible to retinal damage from UV rays than adults. In a child’s lens 70% more UV rays reach the delicate retina. The child’s lens is also clearer than an adult lens, enabling more UV to penetrate deep into the eyes. Besides these physiological characteristics children spend more time outdoors which makes them more susceptible to damage from UV rays. The most common damages related to these factors are: cataracts and macular degeneration in older age and other.

The Skin Cancer Foundation instructs parents to have all the children, even infants (over 6 months of age), wear UV-blocking sunglasses when they are outdoors especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when UV intensity is at its highest. Babies under 6 months should be kept out of direct sunlight.

According to Prevent Blindness America, children’s sunglasses should block 99 to 100 percent of both types of untraviolet rays: UVA and UVB. The children’s sunglasses MUST specify the actual percentage of UV radiation the lenses absorb. To be sure if the indicated percentage is true consult your eye care practitioner to determine the exact level of UV protection your child’s sunglasses provide. Also, be aware that UV radiation penetrates clouds so your children should wear their sunglasses even on cloudy weather.

 When it comes to children remember this rules of thumb: sunscreen and sunglasses are to be used together!

Your child should wear sunglasses:

• While playing outside in any season:
• In winter months it is also obligatory because the sun reflects off of white snow and this can also cause damage to the children’s eyes.
• While playing around water, because the sun reflects off of the surface of the water and can also be harmful to the children’s eyes.
• While riding in the car.

For comfortable use excellent children sunglasses with hook-and-loop fastener are available designed for children, also infants.

Parents should invest in quality children’s sunglasses, cheap solutions can do more harm than good. For example, the surface paint of many cheap children sunglasses contain unacceptable levels of lead, and the components of such sunglasses are often not as durable as the components of quality sunglasses for children.  Consult your eye care professional or a good optical retailer to get the best advice on quality children’s eyewear with the best warranty.

In addition to lenses that provide 99 or 100 percent UV protection, when purchasing the children’s sunglasses look for the following recommended features:                                        

• Flexible and unbreakable frame material to avoid breakage and potential eye or facial injury
• Large, close-fitting frame is the best design for children’s sunglasses because it covers completely your child’s eyes and prevents dust and other debris from getting in your child’s eyes
• Spring hinges and the elastic band to keep the fit of the frame and prevent the loss or damage to children’s sunglasses
• Polycarbonate lenses are the best lenses for children’s sunglasses. They are more impact-resistant than standard plastic lenses (up to 10 times) and are lighter than glass or standard plastic lenses. Also polycarbonate lens material blocks 100 percent of UV rays with no need for added lens filters or coatings.

For comlete UV protection, besides the sunscreen and the sunglasses the children should also wear a wide-brimmed hat because the hat cuts the amount of UV exposure in half.