Most people suffer from headaches at one time or another, and many people in North American suffer from migraines, ranging in frequency from several times a year to once a month or more often. In many cases, a migraine or severe headache forces the sufferer into isolation until it goes away, damaging their ability to work, socialize, and generally live life to its fullest.

What most people don’t already realize is that many migraines and headaches can be prevented through the regular use of a good set of sunglasses! Regardless of whether it’s the summer solstice or the frigid depths of winter, a high quality pair of sunglasses is a very useful preventive health item as well as a fashion accessory. Since bright light can trigger migraines, headaches, and contribute to tension and other disorders, a good pair of sunglasses can significantly improve your quality of life, as well as preventing serious eye degeneration that can eventually lead to blindness.

An effective pair of sunglasses should block both UVA and UVB rays, but new research suggests that High Energy Visible (HEV) light may also contribute to eye disorders, particularly in children. There is still insufficient data on this subject, but some manufacturers now design to block UV rays as well as HEV light, reducing your changes or visual damage from light sources.

It’s very important to note that dark glasses are not the same as UV-exclusive glasses. Check to make sure that your shades are made by a reputable manufacturer, and that they’re certified to block out UVA and UVB at least – if they don’t do this, it’s very possible that they’re worsening your exposure to harmful light by tricking your eyes into.

Since damage from UV exposure is cumulative, it’s important to regularly wear a high-quality set of sunglasses, and to start young. If you teach your children at a young age about the value of wearing good sunglasses, you may save their eyes from damage later and besides, everyone knows how cool a good set of shades look.

Did you realize sunglasses protect you from more than cataracts? There are several significant benefits to wearing sunglasses every time you go out into sunlight.

Driving Glare

Sunglasses with 100% UV tinting cut down on glare from reflected sunlight. This reduces squinting (and the wrinkles it causes), and can prevent certain migraines and headaches brought on by bright light. But the real benefit comes when you’re driving: glare from a road can temporarily blind drivers. UV tinted sunglasses allow you to avoid this potential hazard. And you don’t have to choose dark lenses: pale amber or other light colors work just as well to prevent glare, as long as they are 100% UV tinted.

Blow Drying Your Eyes

Wind and air conditioning can dry out your eyes, causing discomfort, redness, itchiness and soreness. In cars, air conditioning often feels best when it’s blowing near your face and that means into your eyes. Wearing sunglasses even when it’s not sunny cuts down on the effects of air blowing directly into your eyes.

Cataracts

Don’t forget cataracts one of those ailments you don’t really think about until it’s too late. Long term excessive exposure to UV rays can cause cataracts in your eyes. Symptoms include blurred vision, light sensitivity, double vision, needing brighter light to read, and fading of colors. Wearing sunglasses regularly can prevent or slow the development of cataracts, so it’s never too early to start.

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Cheap sunglasses are everywhere. They are a popular free gift from companies that want to appear trendy, and they are on sale at every shop anywhere near a beach, as well as anywhere else that people often go in summer (theme parks, for example). But you should be very, very cautious of cheap sunglasses, because even though it feels like they’re helping to keep the sun out of your eyes, they can actually do more harm than good.

The problem is that cheap sunglasses don’t protect against ultraviolet rays, the rays that can cause problems like eye cancer and cataracts. Instead, they fool your eyes into thinking that it’s dark when it’s actually not, which causes the pupils of your eyes to widen, letting in far more UV rays than they normally would. This massively increases the amount of damage that the sun can do to your eyes. While you might be happy to use them to keep the sun from dazzling you, if you do it often you may be significantly damaging your health. If you have a pair of cheap sunglasses or you’re given one for free the best thing to do, all things considered, is to throw them in the bin.

Of course, the opposite of cheap sunglasses isn’t necessarily expensive ones. The sunglasses you want are ones that offer 100% protection from UV rays, but these can actually be very reasonably priced and as long as you keep track of where you put them at the end of the summer, they can last you for decades to come, which makes them even better value. You should look for some kind of official certification that the sunglasses have passed tests both for UVA and UVB screening, and only buy from a shop that you trust, preferably an established pharmacist.

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You might not realise it, but sunglasses are fashionable today mainly because of two things: World War II and Hollywood. Early movie stars took to wearing them because the lighting of early film studios was so harsh, and their eyes needed protecting between scenes, while in World War II many soldiers wore sunglasses to protect themselves from the flashes of explosions. When photos of these things started to reach a mass audience, they wanted to know where they could buy the sunglasses for themselves, and an instant fashion craze was born.

The stories of how specific kinds of sunglasses became fashionable tend to look quite similar: a specific celebrity or admirable kind of person started wearing them, and it spread from there. Ray-bans (also known as wayfarers) were popularised by James Dean in the 1950s. The most fashionable sunglasses for women at the moment are known as Onassis sunglasses, after President Kennedyís wife Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis ñ they are very large sunglasses, and similar to the ones she wore. Sixties ëhippiesí like John Lennon wore wire-rimmed sunglasses, supposedly to hide the red eyes caused by their use of drugs, while ëcopí sunglasses are reflective glasses worn by police officers, most famously by officers of the FBI. Every one of these types of sunglasses has become fashionable because their wearers were (or still are) considered cool.

So how do you know which sunglasses are fashionable right now? A good start is to look at what celebrities are wearing ñ mainly Onassis glasses, as they want to hide their eyes from photographers. Oakley sunglasses are also very popular right now, as they are the first sunglasses to feature a built-in mp3 player, allowing you to listen to music with your glasses instead of having to use earphones and a separate player. It is even possible to get a combination of the two styles, for the ultimate in fashion sunglasses.

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For children, sunshine and warm weather equal outdoor activity. For parents interested in their children’s eye health, it’s also the right time to get kids sunglasses and protective eyewear.

Many parents don’t think about getting sunglasses for their kids, but everyone is at risk for eye damage as a result of exposure to the sun. And children might be at a higher risk because their developing eyes may be less protected from the sun’s ultraviolet rays than those of adults.

Wearing sunglasses that block UV rays can help prevent eye problems such as cataracts and macular degeneration – two leading causes of blindness. Since UV damage is cumulative over a lifetime, it’s important for kids to start wearing sunglasses as early as possible to potentially minimize this damage.

Sunglasses must block 99 percent to 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays to be effective. The darkness of the lens is not an effective indicator of how well the glasses protect eyes from UV light.

Consult an optometrist to choose the right sunglasses. They are the doctors who provide primary vision care, examining people’s eyes to diagnose vision problems and eye diseases.

Obtaining this expert advice can be as simple as visiting your local Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club Vision Center. Adjacent to each of the Vision Centers at these stores is an office staffed by knowledgeable, professional and licensed independent optometrists who can provide affordable and comprehensive eye examinations as well as prescriptions for glasses and contacts.

The American Optometric Association recommends comprehensive eye examinations by an eye doctor at 3 and 5 years of age for all children.

“Many children get a cursory eye check when they visit their pediatrician, but only an eye doctor is qualified to perform a comprehensive eye examination,” says Dr. Melissa Viker, an independent optometrist who practices next to a Wal-Mart Vision Center.

The optometrist can also offer guidance when it comes to eye protection. Annually there are more than 40,000 sports-related eye injuries – many to children. More than 90 percent of these injuries could be prevented by wearing proper eye protection, such as sports goggles, which are designed for impact resistance, unlike regular eye glasses that could break upon impact and possibly cause serious injury.

Eye protection should be worn during any sport that involves physical contact or a ball, bat, stick, racket or puck.

“A child’s vision is a precious commodity, but caring for it doesn’t have to be expensive,” says Viker. “Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club offer expert advice, low-cost examinations and a wide selection of affordable eyewear to help parents provide children with a lifetime of good eye care.”

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Sunglasses offer protection from the sun’s damaging UV rays and that’s one offer you definitely want to accept. The eyes are the windows to the world, and these complex yet delicate body parts need all the protection they can get. You can’t see them, but damaging ultraviolet rays are always present, even when the sun isn’t shining. Sunglasses that block these rays can help keep the eyes healthy.

Who should wear sunglasses? Anyone who wants to limit the eye’s exposure to this type of damage. It’s true that clouds block most ultraviolet rays from reaching the ground, so it’s not as important to wear eye protection when the sun’s not shining. But when it is, better get into the habit.

Age shouldn’t be a factor either, meaning that children’s eyes are just as susceptible to these hidden dangers. And when you consider that they generally spend more of their time outdoors, eye protection for children is an absolute must.

How much is enough? The sunglasses you choose should have lenses that block at least 99% of the ultraviolet light. There will be a sticker on the lens or a tag attached to the frame that advises how much ultraviolet protection each pair provide so be sure to read it. If you’d don’t see a sticker or tag, select another pair.

And if you’re worried about being fashionable, find something else to worry about. With literally thousands of styles of sunglasses to choose from, you’re sure to be something suitable for everyone in the family. Wire frames or plastic, rectangular-shaped lenses or heart-shaped, with or without monograms, rhinestones, or other notable logo, the choices are endless.

And because it’s so important to keep ultraviolet rays away from eyes, even those who wear eyeglasses have options. Prescription sunglasses are available through an optician in a wide range of prices and styles.

Sunglass Catch

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Next time you think it’s no big deal, remember that over time, excessive exposure to UV rays can lead to the onset of eye conditions including retina damage and even cataracts. So do your eyes a favor and eat your carrots and be sure to carry your sunglasses with you at all times!

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