S a f e t y T o o l b o x T o p i c s

July is UV Safety Month and the American Academy of Ophthalmology reminds Americans one of the greatest threats to your eyes is invisible UV light. Long-term exposure to invisible ultraviolet radiation can damage our eyes and lead to vision loss. Everyone is at risk, especially children.

Let’s look at some tips to protect our eyes:

• The most important thing you can do to protect your eyes is wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet rays.
• Do not be deceived by color or cost. The ability to block UV light is not dependent on the darkness of the lens or the price tag.
• Make sure your sunglasses block 99 percent or 100 percent of UV rays and UV-B rays.
• Ideally, your sunglasses should wrap all the way around to your temples, so the sun’s rays cannot enter from the side.
• In addition to your sunglasses, wear a broad-rimmed hat to protect your eyes.
• Do not be fooled by a cloudy day. The sun’s rays can pass through the haze and thin clouds.
• Even if you wear contacts with UV protection, remember your sunglasses.
• Sunglasses should be worn whenever outside. It is especially important to wear sunglasses in the early afternoon and in higher altitudes, where UV light is more intense. Typically that is 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.