Posts Tagged ‘UV protection’

On Your Bike with Varifocals and UV Protection

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

With Boris furnishing the capital with bikes and all of us striving to be greener, cycling is on the upsurge as a serious means of transport and an ever growing hobby. The lanes around our office are frequently enlivened by Lycra clad chaps pedalling furiously, apparently for fun!

The National Cyclists Association, the CTC, recently did some survey work amongst their members to look at safety on the roads, and discovered that one in four questioned had never had an eye exam or hadn’t had one in the last two years. Our governing optical body recommends that everyone has an eye test at least every two years, with some people being recalled sooner if eye health issues are a problem. Clearly, it’s as vital for Cyclists to make sure their vision is up to the driving standard as it is for motorists, so this is a worrying statistic.

As well of standards of vision, the survey looked at eye protection. 42% surveyed did not wear any sun protection, another worry as Cyclists are fully exposed to UV light when out and about, and this can affect the eyes on cloudy and sunny days. Specs of any description, tinted or clear protect the eye against UV, which can damage the retina and increases your risk of Cataracts. Specs also shield they eye from flying debris.

For the occasional Cyclist, large specs with plastic lenses will be protection enough, and photochromic lenses that go light and dark with the conditions will be a good general purpose option. You can wear them in bright sunlight or after dark, knowing they are safe in all light levels, and they give UV protection. The more serious Cyclist may wish to invest in a wrap around frame for full physical protection against the elements. You can also get them with specialist lenses that improve contrast and show up uneven road surfaces. Sides are usually contoured to fit the face under helmets, and the streamlined shape may even make you go faster! Brands such as Oakley have dedicated models for different sports, cycling included.

The bike may be the transport of the future, so if you’re taking to two wheels instead of four, invest that saved petrol money in an eye exam and some glasses that will make you safer.

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Seeing things Clearly!

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Awareness is gradually increasing amongst the public of the dangers of UV exposure. Thanks to the constant information regarding sunscreens, we’re all getting to grips with the idea of using the correct SPF factor and shielding our skin from UV. This also means that discussion opens up about sunglasses, and UV protection for the eyes. So we know we need sunglasses with UV protection, but can we do anything more to fight the enemy of glare?

Polarized lenses will cut glare that can enter your eyes by being reflected from snow or water, and the sneaky light rays that creep in from the car bonnet, wet roads or oncoming vehicles. Sudden bright glare will wash out your sight, and pulling down a visor or screwing your eyes up will reduce your area of clear vision and make the problem worse. A polarized lens cuts out the reflected rays, making things more comfortable and enabling you to see more clearly. If you look into water with a polarized lens you’ll notice that you can see right through the surface, and take note of any fish! For driving a polarized lens is safer and saves eye strain and discomfort, and they don’t just protect you against sun shining on the windscreen. Sun behind your car makes it difficult to see brake lights and traffic lights, and the last thing any of us wants to do is whizz straight through a stop sign.

If you pursue outdoor sports then polarized lenses will improve your vision and your game! Any sport played under bright light puts you at risk of high UV exposure and eye strain. Mountaineering, water sports and snow sports all present the problems of overhead and reflected glare. You’ll be getting maximum UV protection, saving eye strain and enhancing your performance by reducing fatigue.

You can have a polarizing tint added to prescription glasses, or look for polarizing on a standard, non-prescription sunspec. A wrap around style cuts out the maximum amount of glare. The only downside is interference with vision with LCDS, such as cell phone screens or cash registers, or seeing stress patterns on certain types of windscreens or windows. You may wish to try lenses out in your car before committing to buy if your main concern is driving.

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Sun Clip Check Up

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

For once that promise of the fabled Barbeque summer may just be possible, as some parts of the country swelter due to the driest weeks since records began. Our thoughts, and those of our clients, turn to sunglasses, as spectacle wearers have to think a little more carefully than carefree, non-prescription wearers! For the latter it’s easy, just making a decision based on looks and comfort to see them through the summer months.

Sun clips that you put on top of your glasses may seem like a cheap, simple, easy option. You simply pop them on to your frames when the needs arises, no problem. They are lightweight, easy to carry around, and can be transferred to new frames when you change your glasses. There are however a few pitfalls that you may need to avoid so think carefully before using that ancient sun clip you unearth every year.

Firstly, make sure they give 100% UV protection. A dark lens makes your pupil open wider, allowing light to flood into the eye. Without a UV filter damaging rays can cause irreversible problems, such as cataract or macular degeneration. Legislation now means that all sun protection must be kite marked and give full UV protection, but sun clips tend to hang around for longer than actual sunpecs, so if you have an old pair, get them checked before you wear them.

Sun clips can also damage your glasses, especially if their style means they come into contact with lenses. We’ve seen scratches down the front of lenses due to those huge shields you wear right over your frames, and deep edge scratches where the clip holds the lenses. This kind of damage means a new lens, making your ‘economical’ clips a rather false economy!

The other danger is in clips that obscure your peripheral vision, due to bad fitting around the edge of your specs. This can be dangerous for drivers and elderly people who are unsteady on their feet. So if you wear clips yourself or have a relative who does so, make sure they fit well, without touching the spectacle lenses, think about obscured vision, and ask an Optician to check their level of UV protection.

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A Question of Winter Sport

Friday, February 19th, 2010

We get many enquiries via e-mail or phone, and at this time of year sports, particularly winter sports, are top of our query list as everyone jets off to go skiing or boarding. Here are a few of the questions this week:

Is it safe to wear my normal sunglasses for skiing? They are labelled 100% UV safe.

There are clearly two issues with specs for skiing – the safety of the tint and the physical protection that the frame offers. The tint needs to be sufficiently dark for your comfort, and give 100% UV protection. The frame needs to big enough to cut the glare, and preferably plastic, which will be safer if you fall on them! Metal frames with protruding pad arms may cause you some discomfort if you land on them. If you do want to go for full protection ski goggles, these can be glazed with prescription inserts.

Last year I suffered snow blindness – it was horrible and lasted for a good few days. What was it and can I avoid it happening again?

Snow blindness is the same as Welders Arc eye, and although it’s not nice while it lasts it is temporary. The proper name is sun-induced photokeratitis, and it happens due to exposure to very bright, glaring sunlight. Remember that when you’re on the snow, or indeed the water, the intensity of glare and UV is increased due to reflection. The epithelium layer of the cornea sloughs off, giving you pain and discomfort for a couple of days, and severe visual problems for up to seven hours after the first exposure. Choose well fitting goggles, with the darkest tint you can find, and full UV protection. Check you eyes with your Optician before you go away, to make sure there is no residual damage from last time.

Can some tints help me see the contours of the slopes? I like my dark tint but I find it hard to see dips and bumps in the snow.

This can be a life threatening issue if you can’t spot a crevasse when flying along at high speed. There are various contrast tints on the market that can help you to analyse the slopes. You need to try these for yourself and select a tint that gives you adequate protection from glare while still providing a true image of contours. The depth of tint is important because your visual acuity will be reduced due to the brightness of your surroundings. Looking at bright light for ten minutes will affect your sight for one minute, and those minutes can be crucial to prevent you from a fall or worse.

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A Look for a Lifestyle

Sunday, October 11th, 2009

It’s all to easy nowadays to get online and order your new glasses, or call in to the high street optician and just order some specs like the ones you’ve had before. The choice may seem bewildering so it’s easy to see why sometimes we want the simple option, and go for what we’re used to. If you’re thinking of new specs, take a few minutes to think about your lifestyle, and your next pair may even make life a little easier for you.

If you spend hours twittering or poking, or playing online is your main occupation, you may need to consider a coating that will make your vision more comfortable. Anti-reflection coatings cut glare, reduce eyestrain and fatigue, and generally make your eyes more comortable. They look good too as they make your lenses look super clear.

UV protection becomes an issue if you spend lots of time outside, or have very pale eyes. UV can damage the retina, and increase your risk of cataracts. If you do have pale eyes and therefore little natural protection from UV, a UV coat will stop the damaging rays from entering the eye. This is especially important if you ski or spend time on the water.

If your outdoor time is spent in sunny climes, you’ll need protection from glare as well as invisible UV. Bright sunshine can be uncomfortable and distracting, especially through the windscreen. You might want to consider photochromic lenses, which darken in the sun, or fixed tint, prescription sunglasses. Fixed tints work better behind the windscreen, but you have to remember to keep clear specs with you for night driving.

If you need reading specs and spend intense periods of time on specific hobbies, you may benefit from prescription lenses that give you the exact magnification for your working distance. This will be different for embroidery, or a work bench, or a VDU screen. Measure your working distance and tell your optician what you want the specs for. They’ll calculate the strength you need for perfect vision.

There’s a solution for every eye wear dilemma nowadys, so don’t be afraid to talk about your needs and see what product will suit you.

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See Your Hundredth Birthday!

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

Even if you’re a fitness freak or a gym bunny, the one aspect of health you may not have thought about is looking after your eyes. We all focus on a balanced diet, moderate exercise, and looking after ourselves, but do we pay attention to one of the most important organs in our bodies?

Keeping your eyes healthy is really a matter of prevention, and a few simple steps can go a long way towards preserving your sight and general ocular (eye) health. A vital step is to have regular check ups with a qualified Optician, also called an Optometrist. They recommend tests every two years to check your eye health, tell you if you need glasses, and will even pick up some general health issues too.

If you smoke – give up! Smoking is a factor in the eye disease Macular Degeneration, and as soon as you stop you are halting any damage. Macular Degeneration causes loss of central vision, which means you won’t be able to see to read or drive. It may also be a factor in formation of cataracts.

A good balanced diet will obviously help your general health, but can also maintain healthy eyes and vision too. Natural carteniods, found in green leafy vegetables have a positive effect on the retina and therefore protect against Macular problems. If you don’t eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables you might consider taking a supplement to maintain eye health.

There are many supplements on the market. Ingredients to look for are antioxidants, zinc, selenium, Vitamins A, B, C, and E, Lutein and Zeaxanthin. Antioxidants and zinc reduce the risk of Macular Degeneration. Selenium and the Antioxidant vitamins A C and E encourage mucus production, which keeps the soft tissue around the eye – the conjunctiva healthy. Vitamin C may also protect the eyes against cataract formation. Vitamin B complex is vital to healthy function of the Optic nerve. Lutein and Zeaxanthin occur naturally in the retina, the light sensitive layer that lines the back of the eye. These nutrients protect the retina by absorbing blue light, which can damage the Retina.

You may not have realised that keeping your body fit keeps eyes fit too. It improves oxygen levels in the eyes, and a recent study has shown that children who play outside and therefore focus at long distances are less likely to become myopic (short sighted) They also benefit from being out in natural light too.

If you wear prescription glasses then take good care of them and ensure that they are kept clean and up to date. Talk to the Dispensing Optician when you visit your Optician’s practice to make sure that you have UV protection if necessary, and the correct tints for your needs. They will also help you with protective glasses for sport or at work.

Looking after your eyes takes very little but reaps huge rewards. We’re all living for longer – won’t it be nice to actually see the cake at your hundredth birthday party?!

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UV and Your Eyes

Saturday, May 16th, 2009

What Is UV Light?

UV or Ultra Violet light is an invisible part of the spectrum of light that surrounds us. Due to the increased incidence in skin cancers, we know about the damaging affect of UV on our skin, but do we think about the fact that UV can also damage our eyes?

UV is made up of three wavelengths of light

  • UVA- closest to visible light, range 320 – 400 nanometers
  • UVB – 280 – 320 nm
  • UVC – 280 – 200 nm

Could UV Damage My Eyes?

UVA and UVB can cause significant damage to the crystalline lens inside the eye and to the retina. It’s also harmful to the cornea – the transparent window at the front of the eye.

UVA is the most dangerous, especially if you are exposed to low doses over a long time. It can damage the eye but it is absorbed by the crystalline lens. This protects the retina but as the affects accumulate pigments are generated within the lens, and with ageing and further exposure cataracts develop. When cataracts are surgically removed that vital filter to protect the retina is gone.

UVB causes sunburn and snow blindness, and this is exacerbated by reflection from water and snow. The cornea absorbs it to protect the internal structures of the eye, but that does leave the cornea vulnerable to problems. Pterygium is a patch of cloudy tissue that grows on the cornea as a result.

UVC is filtered out by the ozone layer, but if you’re in an area where the ozone layer is thin, then it may still be dangerous.

Do I Need UV Protection?

Yes, if any of the following applies to you:

  1. You spend time on the water.
  2. You’ve had cataracts removed.
  3. You spend most of your time outdoors.
  4. You like wearing dark glasses.
  5. You’re regularly exposed to UV light.
  6. You live where the ozone layer is thin.

What Will Protect My Eyes?

Wearing spectacles, whether dark or clear gives you some protection against UV, but total protection only comes from a UV Filter or a Polycarbonate Lens. Other lens materials give varying degrees of UV protection.

Standard Plastic – As these lenses can yellow over time manufacturers add a small amount of UV filter to the material. They give about 92% UV protection.

Glass – As they do not absorb any UV they give no protection.

Lenses that darken in the sun – these lenses go dark due to UV light, so as they change they block all UV.

UV filter – This is a lens coating which guarantees to give 100% protection against all types of UV.

Sunglasses are sometimes labelled as giving protection against UVA, UVB, or UVC. The problem with listing these categories is that we see the UV symbol and assume we are protected. You need to make sure that the lenses in question filter all types of UV.

Do I Need A UV Filter On Sunglasses?

Our eyes react to bright light by reducing the size of the pupil. This stops light from getting to the retina and the lens. So a tinted lens will let light flood into the eye, and without a UV filter the internal structures are fully exposed to the dangers of UV.

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Easy as A B See!

Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

Nowadays we all know that eating well and exercising sensibly can improve our general fitness, and protect ourselves from disease too. It’s now proven that your eyes benefit from a healthy lifestyle too.

Even if you buy prescription glasses online, don’t forget to have eye examinations regularly. Opticians check the health of the eyes as well as giving you the prescription for your glasses, and online opticians won’t accept prescriptions unless they are up to date.

Exercise keeps eyes fit too! Scientists in Australian have just completed a study which proves that children are less likely to become short sighted if they spend plenty of time playing outside, benefiting from focussing long distance and from natural light. Exercise also improves oxygen levels in the eyes.

Smoking wreaks havoc throughout the body, and in the eyes has been linked to cataract development. Eating plenty of green vegetables and carrots provides vitamins to keep the eyes healthy, and you can also buy supplements to maintain or even improve your vision. Look for formulations with antioxidants, zinc, selenium, Vitamins A, C, and E, and magnesium. Lutein is of vital importance for eye health too.

Make sure your prescription glasses are of the correct strength, free of scratches, and give full UV protection if you spend a lot of time on the water or snow.

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