When you’re packing for your upcoming vacation to a sunny place, don’t forget to throw your kids’ sunglasses in the suitcase!
You may not think that sunglasses make such a huge difference for your kids’ eyes, but in fact, keeping those young eyes protected from the harmful rays of the sun can actually go a long way towards preventing serious problems later in life.
In 2014, a survey taken by the American Academy of Ophthalmology discovered that only about 32 percent of parents encouraged their kids to wear sunglasses that are made to block UV light. That number is way too low! Just like how exposure to the sun without clothing or sunscreen causes sunburn to your skin, exposing your eyes to the sun without protection can cause sunburn of the eye, known as photokeratitis.
While photokeratitis doesn’t cause long term damage if it only occurs once, repeated exposure to the sun without protection can be very damaging to your children’s retinas. Conditions such as cataracts or macular degeneration are possible down the road, not to mention that studies show as many as 10 percent of all skin cancers are found on the eyelid.
Choosing the sunglasses that’ll keep your kids’ eyes safe is important – you can’t just pick up any old pair at the drugstore and hope for good results. Make sure to choose a pair that has 100 percent UVA/UVB protection, like our Real Kids sunglasses.
When you read a label on a pair of sunglasses that specifies UVA/UVB protection, it’s actually referring to a special coating that’s applied to the lenses. This means that the protection rating is entirely independent of the tint, so it doesn’t matter how dark the lenses are.
Make sure that you take your kids’ input into consideration, too. If they pick out a cool, funky pair that they love, like our Breeze glasses, they’ll be much more likely to wear them regularly! Plus, our Breeze glasses are super flexible and bendy, so you don’t have to worry about them getting bent or cracked, and each pair includes shatterproof lenses that are resistant to breaking.
Remember, your kids’ eyes are sensitive – so don’t forget to pack the sunglasses for your upcoming vacation! Check out our Real Kids sunglasses for options that your kids will love and order your children’s favorite pair or pairs today!