Leaving the house in clear weather, we habitually put on sunglasses to protect our eyes from bright light. But, along with visible radiation, the Sun emits other rays - ultraviolet. Completely invisible, they nevertheless have a very negative effect on vision.
Why is this happening, and why is ultraviolet so harmful to the eyes? And is it possible, and most importantly - how, to protect your eyes from these rays? For everyone who wants to keep good eyesight, we will give answers to these questions.
Types of ultraviolet light, and their effect on the eyes
Colors of the visible solar radiation spectrum:
Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Cyan
Violet
But this is not the whole spectrum, but its middle. Before red, there is infrared radiation, which we feel like solar heat, and after violet – ultraviolet. Its wavelength does not allow the human eye to see in ultraviolet light. But it has tremendous energy, and significantly affects our body. Moderate doses of UV radiation are good for health, but its excess is very harmful, especially for the eyes.
UV radiation, in turn, is divided into 3 types. Let's see what kind of ultraviolet light is, and what kind of danger each type of it poses to the eyes:
UV C is the most dangerous, but almost completely absorbed by the atmosphere rays that do not reach the surface of the earth.
UV B – Partially dissipating in the atmosphere, but still reaching us ultraviolet rays. They pose an increased danger to the outer shell of the eye - the cornea. They can lead to a burn of the cornea (photokeratitis), destroy the tear film, cause dry eyes, accompanied by severe cutting pains, and even "snow blindness" - temporary loss of vision.
UV A - Penetrate the eye, and affect the retina and lens. Such ultraviolet light can cause a lot of ophthalmological diseases, including cataracts, macular degeneration, and general visual impairment
Ultraviolet is dangerous because its harmful effects tend to accumulate, and as a result, may even cause the appearance of cancer of the eyeball. Moreover, every year this danger increases - due to the destruction of the ozone layer of the planet, an increasing amount of ultraviolet radiation falls on the Earth.
Effective eye protection from UV radiation
The insidiousness of ultraviolet lies in its complete invisibility and delayed effect. Discomfort from bright visible light is felt immediately, and this makes you want to protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses. UV rays are always there, cloudy weather does not protect them from them, since ultraviolet easily penetrates through clouds. And their harmful effects can only manifest themselves after some time.
Therefore, it is always necessary to protect your eyes from it and wear sunglasses at any time of the year and in any weather. But not all glasses can give you high-quality UV protection. Only accessories whose lenses have a special coating designed for this purpose will help effectively.
On such glasses there is a marking indicating the degree of protection:
High UV protection (UV400). Provide 100% protection against intense ultraviolet radiation. Suitable for wearing by the water and in the mountains.
General (UV 380). They pass only about 5% of harmful UV rays. It can be used in urban conditions or in moderate sunlight.
Fashion sunglasses. Such sunglasses are suitable only for creating an image since they do not give protection from ultraviolet light to the eyes.
The highest level of ultraviolet radiation rises in summer, especially during the daytime, when the sun is high. To avoid its harmful effects, being outdoors from 11.00 to 16.00, it is better to wear a wide-brimmed hat or a cap with a long visor to sunglasses. They will shade the eyes and will serve as additional protection.
Ultraviolet light is dangerous to the eyes not only indirectly but also in reflected form. This is especially evident on vacation by the sea or at ski resorts, where water and snow are very bright under the sun. Therefore, when going to such places, to reliably protect your vision from UV rays, buy sunglasses with a polarizing coating. They will cut off all reflected rays, and together with an ultraviolet filter will provide your eyes with 100% protection from UV radiation.
But this applies only to high-quality sunscreen accessories, with reliable polarizing and UV coatings. Low-quality sunglasses will only increase the danger by creating the appearance of protection. So buy yourself optics from the sun only in proven outlets, and do not risk your eyesight by exposing your eyes to the harmful effects of ultraviolet light.
We truly believe that this article was informative for you. Torege always cares about your health, that's why we supply only high-quality sunglasses with full-spectrum UV protection. On our online store, you can find sunglasses for any sport and also for daily life