10 AM and 2 PM is the time of day when ultraviolet exposure is the most dangerous for your children. The risk for retinal damage from the sun’s rays is greatest in children less than 10 years old. The consequences, however, become visible only when they reach adulthood.
Macular degeneration, the accumulation of damage in the retina, is the leading cause of blindness from retinal disease and is mostly irreversible. Today, retinal diseases are recognized as the preceding cause of blindness in the United States.
Teaching your children to wear sunglasses is just as important as saving up for a college fund. Here is a small guide to buying and using sunglasses:
- Good sunglasses should be able to block both UVA and UVB radiation
- Large lenses that fit close to the eyes are best as they offer maximum protection
- Expensive brand names and polarizing lenses are no guarantee
- Children tend to break and lose sunglasses regularly. So its best to buy standard quality sunglasses with a UV filter label on their lenses
- Make sure your toddlers wear their sunglasses especially when they are at high altitudes, in snow-covered terrain, bright sandy beaches, or near reflective bodies of water. This is when the risk of visual damage is the greatest