Why Everyone Needs Sunglasses

Sunglasses have been popular for years, both for comfort and as a fashion accessory. Ophthalmologists now believe you should wear sunglasses to protect the long-term health of your eyes. Results from a dozen studies over the last 10 years suggest that long hours in the sun without proper eye protection increase your chances of developing eye disease.

In 1988, a group of ophthalmologists studied 838 Chesapeake Bay fishermen who had spent years working on the water. The fishermen who wore no eye protection had three times as many cataracts (a clouding of the eye s natural lens) as those who wore sunglasses or a brimmed hat. Based on this study and others, ophthalmologists now recommend that you wear UV-absorbent sunglasses and a brimmed hat whenever you re in the sun long enough to get a suntan or a sunburn, especially if you live at a high elevation or near the equator.

A medium-dark lens is good for day-to-day wear, but if you use the glasses for very bright conditions, choose a darker lens. The color and the degree of darkness do not tell you anything about the lenses ability to block UV light.

There are some people who are at greater risk for sun-related eye damage. People with certain eye diseases, such as macular degeneration or retinal dystrophies, need to protect their eyes whenever they go outside, no matter how briefly. Older people who have had cataract surgery may be more vulnerable to UV light.

Photosensitizing drugs--drugs that make your skin more sensitive to light --can make your eyes more sensitive to light as well. You should discuss precautions with your ophthalmologist if you are taking any of the following drugs:

·Psoralens (used in treating psoriasis);
·Tetracycline;
·Doxycycline;
·Allopurinol;
·Phenothiazine.

Wear UV-absorbent sunglasses and a hat whenever you go outside for as long as you take the drug.

Judith Lee