Most people know of the dangers of the sun to our skin.
But many do not know that too much sun can also damage the eyes.
As with skin damage, it is the ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun which causes problems.
Some problems are short-lived, other problems can be permanent. Short term problems from too much sun include:

• a ‘gritty’ feeling in the eyes;
• excessive blinking and watering;
• difficulty looking at strong lights; and
• swelling of the eyes.
  More serious and long-term problems include:
• cataracts;
• sunburn of the cornea (surface of the eye), sometimes called snow blindness;
• cancer of the conjunctiva (the thin membrane covering the eye); and
• skin cancers on the eyelids.

It is relatively easy to prevent sun damage to the eyes by wearing a good pair of sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat.
Levels of UV radiation are particularly high during summer months (3 times higher than in winter), between 10am and 3pm and at high altitudes
(for example, many ski resorts).
In some situations an added dose of UV is experienced through glare, when light is reflected off a surface such as water, snow, sand or concrete.
In these situations it is particularly important to wear good sunglasses.
Most sunglasses now come with an eye protection factor (EPF). This should be as near to 10 as possible. Ideally, sunglasses should have a
‘wrap around’ style or block out sideways glare. The quality of sunglasses does not necessarily relate to their darkness or cost.
Children and young adults are more vulnerable to sun-induced eye damage, so the habit of wearing good sunglasses should start early.

SUN PROTECTION WITH SUNGLASSES

UV rays are one of the known causes of cataracts, a gradual clouding of the eye lens that destroys vision. The effects of sunlight on the eye are
cumulative and depend on the length of time spent in the sun. For example, farmers are more likely to develop cataracts sooner than office workers.
Experts say that sunglasses help prevent cataracts. They recommend wearing them whenever the light is bright enough to make you squint, even on cloudy days and especially at high elevations.
Most sunglasses list absorption figures or UV protection figures on their labels.
Good colours for sunglasses are gray, green or brown.
Gray lenses do not distort primary colours so they are good for driving.
Green lenses let the maximum amount of useful light reach the eyes on an overcast day,
and brown lenses sharpen detail and provide better protection against glare.
Wrap-around frames protect your eyes from all angles and are a good choice if you are in the sun all day.
Polarised lenses cut reflected glare, and are perfect for skiing, boating and the beach.
For children’s sunglasses, look for shatterproof lenses in addition to the above features — they are also a good idea for adults who are rough on sunglasses or who play sport.

The sun’s damage to the eyes does not stop with cataracts.
Exposure to both visible light and UV radiation is also a factor in the gradual degeneration of the retina and in sunburn of the cornea.

Adding to the confusion is the lack of product information to help consumers judge the quality of glasses.
Just because a pair of glasses is high-priced doesn't guarantee that it provides maximum protection, as several researchers have found.
In addition, many people incorrectly assume that the darker the lenses, the more ultraviolet-light protection they afford.
But it is the chemicals used to make the lenses that determine their ability to shield the eyes from harmful rays, not the color.
The New York State Legislature is considering a bill that would require all nonprescription sunglasses sold in the state to bear a label
indicating how protective they are. The Food and Drug Administration has no immediate plans to label sunglasses sold nationwide.
In the absence of government regulations, eye doctors offer several recommendations on how to shield the eyes from ultraviolet light.
For someone whose exposure to the sun amounts to taking a walk outside during lunch time, protection may not be vital, but until more
is known about the effects of ultraviolet light, doctors say that people should at least partly shield their eyes, by wearing either a hat or sunglasses.
''If there's enough sunlight to give you a burn,'' says Dr. Hugh R. Taylor, associate director of the Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology
at the Wilmer Institute of Johns Hopkins University, ''protect your eyes.''
Anyone who is out in the sun all day - skiing, sailing, mountain climbing or fishing, for example - should wear sunglasses that block all ultraviolet rays. Look for glasses with manufacturers' labels indicating that they offer 100 percent protection from ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B light. People who already own sunglasses can have them treated by an optometrist with a coating that screens out all ultraviolet light; the coating generally costs about $25.
Finally, those who play baseball, basketball and other sports outdoors need not worry about sun damage as long as they wear clear polycarbonate goggles. These not only deflect speeding balls; they screen out all ultraviolet light as well. The goggles also come tinted to cut down on glare. This does not affect their ultraviolet-light absorption, but it might make players feel sportier.

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Sun glasses to Protect your Eyes
Surely you put on great amounts of sunscreen to protect your skin this summer, but do you think about the damage that those same harmful rays can do to your eyes?

You must not forget sunglasses to protect your eyes. The same harmful rays that damage skin can also increase your risk of developing eye problems. One of the illnesses is cataracts -- a clouding of the eye's lens that develops over years.

In the short-term, people who are exposed to the sun for long periods of time spend without adequate eye protection can develop photokeratitis. Although this sunburn of the cornea is reversible, this painful condition can result in temporary loss of vision. When sunlight reflects off of snow, sand and water, it further increases your eyes' exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. These invisible high-energy rays lie just beyond the violet end of the visible light spectrum.

There are two types of UV radiation: UVA and UVB, and your sunglasses should block both UVA and UVB. Don't assume that you get more UV protection with pricier sunglasses or glasses with a darker tint. You must check for a label that specifically states that the glasses offer 99 percent or complete UV protection. You could also ask an eye-care professional to test your sunglasses if you're not sure of their level of UV protection.

Sunglasses should be dark enough to reduce glare, but not dark enough to distort colors and affect the recognition of important things like traffic signals. Tint is mainly a matter of personal preference. Prevent Blindness America, a volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight, recommends lenses that are neutral gray, amber, brown or green. People who wear contact lenses that offer UV protection should still wear sunglasses.

Sunglasses wearing should start at an early age. Children should wear real sunglasses that indicate the UV-protection level just as with adults. Polycarbonate lenses are generally recommended for children because they are the most shatter-resistant.

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http://momsadvice.org/content/health/eye-care/taking-care-of-your-eyes.php