Are UV Ratings Really That Important?

While you’ve heard of ultraviolet rays and how harmful they can be to your skin, you may not realize how harmful they can be to your eyes. However, if you are in the market for prescription or non-prescription sunglasses in Portland, you will notice they have UV ratings. If you’re not paying attention to these ratings, you are putting your eyes at risk. As to why UV ratings are important, here are some facts about them and the damage UV rays can cause to your eyes.

Your Eyes Can Get Sunburned

Surprisingly to many, your eyes can get a type of sunburn. Known as photokeratitis, this involves short-term exposure to UV rays that occurs when they are reflected off water, sand, snow, or ice. As a result, you’ll experience blurry vision and sensitivity to bright light at least temporarily. If it happens frequently, the condition can lead to long-term damage. This is one reason why you should always choose sunglasses in Portland that have a satisfactory UV rating.

Developing Eye Diseases

If you subject your eyes to prolonged exposure to UV rays, you increase your chances of developing severe eye diseases in the years ahead, with the most likely being cataracts, macular degeneration, and even a form of eye cancer known as ocular melanoma.

UV 400 Ratings

Now that you know the many problems that can result from exposing your eyes to UV rays, it’s crucial that you know how to interpret UV ratings that come with prescription and non-prescription sunglasses. If you want the very best protection against UV rays, you should look for sunglasses at your Portland eyewear shop that have a at least a UV 400 rating. In doing so, this means they block rays of light up to 400 nanometers. In simpler terms, this means your sunglasses will block 99-100 percent of UV rays.

Additional Protection

To give your eyes even more protection, you can take additional steps that can partner with UV protection. These include getting sunglasses with anti-reflective lenses or mirrored coatings, both of which have been shown to keep UV rays away from eyes.

Since your eyesight is so important, do all you can to protect it. By paying closer attention to UV ratings and understanding why they are so important, you’ll be able to enjoy sunshine knowing you’ve got maximum protection for your eyes. Visit your Portland eyewear shop today to learn more.