Ivy Family Health Updates

 
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In this segment Dr. John Martin discusses sunglasses with his siblings Drs. Kathryn and Edward Martin.

When outside, everyone should protect their eyes from the sun. Strong sunlight can burn the corneas and conjuntiva, and can contribute to cataracts and macular degeneration.

UV absorption is done by adding certain chemicals to the material during manufacturing or applying special lens coatings. When buying a pair of sunglasses, you want to get one with 99 - 100% of UV absorption. You should also try to get a pair that has wraparound frames, since rays can enter around standard frames and reduce the protective benefits of the lenses.

Polarized lenses will help with the glare, but you need to make sure that they also have UV protection Polycarbonate lenses are great for kids and athletes, since they both shield the eyes from the UV light, and they protect the eyes against impact injuries.