It is always important to protect the eyes from the harmful rays of the sun. To ensure eye protection from the cataract-causing UV rays, follow these protective ways.

Constant exposure of your eyes to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation can be very harmful. Recent studies have shown that light at the blue end of the spectrum can cause damage to the retina and would lead to cataract.

Cataract is a condition that impairs your vision as the lens of the eyes grows cloudy or hazy. Normally, the clear lens serves to direct light into the eye. However, this function is affected when the lens become cloudy or opaque. Opaque lens diffuses the light that enters our eyes resulting to blurred and hazy vision. In order to correct this condition, a surgical operation is necessary to remove or scrape away the damaged eye lenses which can be replaced by special contact lenses, glasses, or an implant.

We all know, however, that an ounce of prevention is always better than a pound of cure. This is why keeping our eyes protected, especially from the direct glare of the sun, is important. The following are steps on how to protect the eyes from the cataract-causing UV rays of the sun:

Avoid long and unnecessary exposure to the sun. When spending time outdoors during the day time, always remember to slip on your handy pair of sunglasses and visors.

UV-protected glasses are able to keep 90 percent of visible light and 100 percent of UV rays. Choose your sunglasses carefully; bearing in mind that non-UV protective sunglasses could cause more damage to your eyes. Because they give a darker shade, these glasses make our pupils dilate even further, thus allowing more UV rays to enter our eyes.

Children’s pupils sometimes dilate twice as much than the average adult. Make sure that kids wear protective sunglasses to keep harmful rays from damaging their eyes.

Bear in mind that expensive glasses may be stylish and chic, but do not necessarily give you more of the needed protection. Do not look at the price tag or the brand name. Remember to look for a 100 percent UV-protective certification.

For further protection, choose wraparound shades. These types of sunglasses prevent light from getting into the eyes from the sides.