UV and Your Eyes

HEALTH · GLOBAL

UV and Your Eyes

What sunlight does to eyes, what the markings mean, children and driving

Eyes accumulate ultraviolet damage in the same way skin does, and sunglasses are protective equipment as much as an accessory.

What UV does

Short-term overexposure causes photokeratitis, effectively sunburn of the cornea, which is painful and temporary. Long-term exposure is associated with cataracts, growths on the eye surface and damage to the eyelid skin.

Reflection off water, sand and snow increases exposure substantially, and snow glare at altitude is particularly intense.

What the markings mean

In the UK and EU, sunglasses must carry a CE or UKCA mark and meet the relevant standard, with UV400 or 100 percent UV protection indicating the useful thing. Filter categories run from 0 to 4.

Category 3 suits bright sunshine and category 4 is for high mountains and is not permitted for driving. Tint darkness is not protection — dark lenses without UV filtering open the pupil and let more UV in, which is worse than none.

Polarisation

Cuts glare from flat surfaces, which helps on water and roads and is separate from UV protection. It can make some phone and dashboard screens hard to read.

Children

Children's eyes transmit more UV than adults' and they spend more time outdoors. Properly marked sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat and shade in the middle of the day.

Fit and frames

Wraparound or larger frames block more light reaching the eye from the sides, which matters on water, snow and in open country. Frames should sit close without pressing on the temples.

Check hinges and the quality of the lens surface — distortion at the edges causes headaches.

Prescription and contact lenses

Prescription sunglasses, clip-ons and photochromic lenses all work. Many contact lenses filter some UV and do not protect the eyelids or the rest of the eye, so sunglasses are still needed.

Looking after them

Rinse and use a proper cloth rather than a shirt, and keep them in a case rather than on a dashboard.

When to wear them

UV is highest in the middle of the day, in summer and at altitude, and it passes through cloud. Reflection off water and snow roughly doubles exposure, which is why glare days matter most.

Wear them driving into low sun and on the water even when it feels overcast.

Replace lenses that are scratched, since scratches scatter light and cause eye strain.

Buy from a retailer that states the standard and the filter category.

Driving

Keep a pair in the car, since low sun is a common cause of collisions. Never wear category 4 or heavily tinted lenses at night.

Have eyes tested regularly, and see an optometrist about any sudden change.

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