How the Sun Harms Your Eyes - 5 Tips Your Eyes Will Appreciate

The sun contains 99.8% of the solar system's mass, is 4.5 billion
years old, and reaches surface temperatures of nearly 10,000
degrees Fahrenheit-a pretty impressive resume, not to mention it
essentially sustains life here on earth.

But did you know that light from the sun can bleach the retina's
photosensitive pigments, causing temporary blindness?

Damage to your eyes from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays is
cumulative and can cause pteryguim (tissue growth on the whites
of the eyes that can diminish vision) and age-related macular
degeneration (deterioration of a part of the retina).

In addition, UV rays are the biggest culprit in the formation of
cataracts. The World Health Organization estimates there are 16
million people worldwide who are blind as the result of cataracts,
and as many as 20% of the cases may be due to UV radiation
exposure.

The best way to protect your eyes from the sun is to stay out of
it! But since that isn't likely to happen, with a little
protection and common sense, you can enjoy the beautiful outdoors
to your heart's content.

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Essential Tip #1
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What to look for in a pair of sunglasses:

1) Look for a label that tells you how much UV protection the
sunglasses offer. Ideally, your shades should block 99% to 100%
of UV radiation.

2) Close-fitting sunglasses help block light more effectively:
look for wraparound shades or large lenses.

3) Dark colored sunglasses don't necessarily protect you better.
It's a special coating on the lens that makes them safe, not their
darkness.

4) Gray, green, and brown lenses usually give better protection
than other colors.

5) More expensive shades may be more fashionable, but they don't
provide more protection.

Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses. Besides making you look
pretty slick, a good pair of shades can provide protection from
the sun's harmful effects!