With Memorial Day as the unofficial kickoff to summer, people in Gainesville and around the country will soon be spending more time outdoors. While summertime activities allow for good times with friends and family, the sun’s powerful ultraviolet (UV) rays require some healthy caution – for your skin and your eyes.

Most people today recognize the value of wearing sunscreen to protect your skin, but few fully understand the importance of wearing the right pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes.

There are two types of UV radiation from the sun that pose a threat to our eyes: UV-A and UV-B. When it comes to eye health, the difference is in how deeply these rays penetrate. UV-B is fully absorbed by the cornea, whereas UV-A passes all the way through to the lens. Both types can do damage and thus should be filtered out with UV-A and UV-B-blocking sunglasses.

In our recent 15 Surprising Facts about Your Eyes post, the #1 thing we revealed was that your eyes can actually be sunburned.  It’s called photokeratitis and it can be very painful. The good news is, photokeratitis is generally short-term and heals without medical treatment. Still, the redness, stinging, light sensitivity, tearing and gritty feeling are certainly no fun.

Longer term effects of UV radiation can be much more serious. Exposure to sunlight increases your risk of cataracts and retina damage. Growths on the eye or the skin around the eyes, including cancer, are also dangerous effects of UV radiation.

To shield your eyes from these dangers, it’s wise to wear a brimmed hat at all times when outdoors as well as a quality pair of sunglasses.

The American Optometric Association says sunglasses should ideally:

• block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation;
• screen out 75 to 90 percent of visible light;
• be perfectly matched in color and free of distortion and imperfection; and
• have gray or brown for true color recognition and contrast

Gainesville Eye Physicians and Optical carries a full line of fashionable and functional sunglasses for men, women and children. Stop in and talk with one of our licensed opticians today to find a pair that’s right for you.