Why Children Need to Wear Sunglasses to Protect Eyes From UV Radiation

sunglasses UV light UV rays pterygium Refractive vision Elliot Levine

By Camille Hutchison , Parent Herald Oct 28, 12:35 am

As a parent, you don't want your child to burn their skin by staying in the sun for too long, thus, you apply sunscreen on them according to the directions included in a certain product. Hence, what about the child's eyes, what do they need to protect their vision? Mayo Clinic says young ones need to wear sunglasses for their eyes to be protected as they sustain more annual sun exposure than adults when they play sports and playtime under the sun.

Also, the increased exposure to sunlight increases the risk of eye damage from ultraviolet light or UV light, invisible electromagnetic radiation directly emitted by the sun. Kids' eyes are still maturing and are still unable to filter out any harmful UV rays as effectively compared to adult eyes.

Moreover, the young one's eyelids and skin around the eye are more vulnerable and delicate than adult skin which only means that the damage from the UV rays builds up over time. The long-term eye issues not distinctive to children can include cataracts and age-related macular degeneration which can sadly blur the vision, dull colors, and may eventually lead to the development of pterygium, noncancerous growth of tissue on the surface of the eye.

Lenses in their eyes allow more UV radiation

In addition, there are also some short-term physical side effects from excessive UV light which entails photokeratitis or commonly known as "snow blindness." This happens when UV rays reflect off sand, water, ice, and snow or if one directly stares at the sun. This side effect is like having a sunburned eye. Thankfully, the sunglasses can protect the child's skin around the eye and the eye itself. Thus, parents should consider having their kids wear sunglasses every single day as UV rays can still harm eyes on cloudy days.

Refractive vision, on the other hand, is very common in young ones. Approximately 1 in 4 kids wear a vision correction to be able to see clearly. Commonly, most kids outgrow the need for glasses; Kids need to wear sunglasses as the lenses in their eyes allow more UV radiation to pass through compared to adults. Once the UV radiation enters the eye of the child, it can cause cell damage and can put the child at a higher risk for many complications.

Shady Grove Eye says that sunscreen is the most crucial for protecting the skin, especially during outdoor activities. However, most people do not apply such near the eyes as it can sting. Sadly, that also means that the UV rays can impact the skin near the eyes which increases skin cancer risk in those areas. Skin cancer develops after years of UV exposure, thus, the sooner you began protecting the skin around your kid's eyes, the less likely it is to affect them.

Sunglasses is more than a fashion statement

Parents need to be good role models which means they need to consider sunglasses an essential instead of treating them as an accessory specifically when it comes to their children. Teach them properly to wear sunglasses whenever they go outside so they can also start protecting their eyes at an early age and reduce the risk of many preventable health problems at the same time.

For instance, always bring your sunglasses with you so kids would think at an early age that it is a necessity for their own good; Elliot Levine, M.D., an opthalmologist at Piedmont says that sunglasses are more than a fashion element considering the health benefits of it when wearing one.