May sunglasses protect your eyesight?

Not only our skin needs protection from ultraviolet rays, but also our eyes. According to Samuel Pearce, an optometrist based in Trussville, Alabama, and president of the American Optometric Association (AOA), many people today are unaware of how serious a risk ultraviolet rays can pose to their vision.

According to the expert, ultraviolet rays enter the eye and penetrate the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye. In the short term, excessive exposure to the sun can lead to irritation: the eyes can become red, swollen, and oversensitive to light.

And in the long term, unfiltered light can damage not only the cornea but also the lens of the eye, eyelid skin, and retina. This can lead to a neoplasm in the eye, early cataract formation, and macular degeneration.

According to experts, the use of sunglasses can help reduce the likelihood of eye damage. But what matters here is how and what kind of glasses you will wear.