BEABA

• What are the sun protection levels?

• Why is it important to make sure small children wear sunglasses?

  UV rays are as dangerous for the eyes as they are for the skin. It is essential to protect them for the children’s visual comfort and also to keep the eyes healthy. Getting children accustomed to wearing sun glasses as early as possible, means they will have a better chance of not contracting a cataract in adult life. We should remember that sunglasses serve to cut down brightness and avoid visual discomfort, but what is most important is that the lenses must filter out almost all the ultra-violet rays (responsible for cataracts). This is because as less light gets into the eyes, the pupils dilate, which is a natural reaction to let in more UVA and UVB. Alteration of the crystalline lens (loss of clarity and transparency) leads to cataract formation - the main cause of blindness in the world. Giving young children a real pair of glasses with high filter lenses is thus a requirement for the children’s health.