According to The Vision Council (thevisioncouncil.org), an educational voice for vision care products and services, 75 percent of Americans are concerned about UV eye exposure, but only 31 percent wear sunglasses. And parents are more likely to wear sunglasses (56 percent) than their children (29 percent).
While the message about long-term dangers of UV exposure to skin has been widely recognized, fewer parents realize that those same UV rays can have a negative impact on their children’s eyesight. Youngsters generally receive about three times the adult dose of UV, and long-term UV damage is cumulative, so instill protective eyewear habits in your children at an early age. Keep in mind that between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m., UV exposure is at its highest.
Make sure your child is wearing sunglasses:
On the field – grass reflects up to 3 percent of UV rays
In the car – asphalt reflects up to 9 percent of UV rays
In winter – snow reflects up to 85 percent of UV rays
At the beach – water reflects up to 100 percent of UV rays.
