Take Care of Those Eyes! #NationalSunglassesDay

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The Vision Council wants you to know that it is important for you to protect your eyes. Did you know that 1 in 4 Americans rarely or never wear sunglasses, leaving their eyes at risk. 2 in 3 Americans leave eyes unguarded on cloudy or rainy days. 3 in 10 don't protect their eyes in the winter, even though UV Rays are still present. Are you guilty of any of those? I know I am.



I recently attended a seminar where these and other eye protection/safety tips were discussed, along with the reasons why. Some surprising facts, in addition to the ones above, are below.

  • Activity determines use. When walking, driving, or going to the beach, people are more likely to grab their sunglasses than not. When gardening, running, biking, or engaging in team sports, they are not.
  • People choose sunglasses for comfort over protection, affordability, or style
  • Children receive three times the annual adult dose of UV radiation
  • There are both short and long-term implications for not protecting your eyes


Attendees also learned some very helpful tips about sunglasses. The first and far most important was that not all sunglasses are created equal. Since UV protection is crucial, it is very important to look for sunglasses that have a sticker on them showing the amount of UV protection that is provided in the glasses.

Another helpful hint that I didn't know is color means nothing. Many are under the assumption that the darker the tint, the more protective the shades. That is simply not true. In fact, dark glasses without UV protection can be worse for you because they cause your pupil to dilate which can increase retinal exposure to the unfiltered UV.

How to Protection Your Eyes

  • Wear UV protective eyewear (UVA & UVB) as often as possible.
  • Find comfortable, protective eyewear for your children
  • Lead by example: Let your children see you wearing protective eyewear consistently
  • Purchase non-hinge sunglasses for children so they don't pinch (comfort wins over many other factors for adults and children when it comes to eyewear)

Of course there are many other facts that you should learn and practice when it comes to protective eyewear, for you and everyone in your family, and I think it's definitely worth taking the time to do so.

Learn more by visiting thevisioncouncil.org 

You can also follow them on Twitter and/or Facebook where you can share your #SunglassesSelfie
More about that on www.nationalsunglassesday.com I look forward to seeing your pictures. :)

Comments

  1. SandeeJune 9, 2015 at 4:12 PM

    We're on the water much of the time so we have great glasses for that. Old eyes have enough issues and preventative things are very easy to do.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

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  2. Masshole MommyJune 9, 2015 at 4:47 PM

    We are all so bad about wearing sunglasses in our family. I know we need to do better and I am really going to try.

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  3. Stacie @ Divine LifestyleJune 9, 2015 at 4:59 PM

    I've never really thought about sunglasses past keeping the glare out of my eyes. I had no idea the sun could hurt your eyes the way it does you skin.

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  4. Melissa PezzaJune 9, 2015 at 5:15 PM

    Wow. You know, I had no idea that UV rays could actually damage your eyes from exposure. That's kind of scary!

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  5. Elephant's ChildJune 9, 2015 at 5:19 PM

    Guilty here too.

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  6. Pat HattJune 9, 2015 at 5:37 PM

    I'd wear mine more if they didn't give me a migraine, I'll still with being a hermit lol

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  7. Alex J. CavanaughJune 9, 2015 at 6:59 PM

    I wear my shades until it gets dark...

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  8. UnknownJune 9, 2015 at 7:08 PM

    Couldn't agree more! Sunglasses are super important for little developing eyes , so I am sure to keep pairs everywhere in everybag! We live in Florida so we can't avoid the sun!

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  9. touristmeetstravelerJune 9, 2015 at 7:22 PM

    I love wearing sunglasses, always a must in the summer! I hate when you aren't wearing them and you look at the sun by mistake; it really doesn't feel nice.

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  10. UnknownJune 9, 2015 at 8:59 PM

    I have never thought about kids needing sunglasses but it makes sense that they can have damage done. Thank you for enlightening me about this.

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  11. Jacqui OdellJune 9, 2015 at 10:08 PM

    My eyes seem to burn a little bit when I am in the sun. With that being said I always have sunglasses and so do my kids!

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  12. Dawn McAlexanderJune 9, 2015 at 11:02 PM

    I love those blue sunglasses with the oversized frames! That would be the pair I choose. I have always loved that style of sunglassses.

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  13. Theresa MahoneyJune 9, 2015 at 11:43 PM

    I wear sunglasses all year round, even in winter. My eyes are so sensitive to the sunlight. I did just buy my first pair of rx sunglasses, and it's amazing how well I can see outside now lol.

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  14. Liz MaysJune 10, 2015 at 12:09 AM

    I'm so very careful of my eyes anymore. I didn't use to be and wore my contacts WAY longer than I should have. I've since remedied that and I'm very aware of eye health and getting regular appointments.

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  15. ourfamilyworldJune 10, 2015 at 1:47 AM

    This is so true. We must always were sunglasses to protect our eyes from the blaring sunlight.

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  16. Rebecca SwenorJune 10, 2015 at 6:14 AM

    This is awesome information indeed for everyone. It is so important for us all to protect our eyes from UV from the Sun. I wear my sunglasses all the time outside because I get migraines if I don't for sure. The lil ones are what people tend to forget about with wearing sunglasses. Thanks for sharing

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  17. Bonnie GJune 10, 2015 at 7:24 AM

    This is a really great post and it is very important to take care of our eyes. Thanks for sharing.

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  18. UnknownJune 10, 2015 at 9:32 AM

    I am very guilty about not protecting my eyes. I definitely need to work on this. You only get one set of eyes! Thanks for this.

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  19. AmandaJune 10, 2015 at 9:34 AM

    Eye care is just as important as skin care....and not just during the summer, either. Thanks for sharing this important info.

    Amanda
    www.queenofthelandoftwigsnberries.com

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  20. ricciJune 10, 2015 at 9:58 AM

    I have always worn sunglasses and was glad to learn that they are actually good for you. I will definitely keep wearing mine!!

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  21. Chubskulit RoseJune 10, 2015 at 10:03 AM

    My sun glasses is getting old so I got me a new pair this year. It's an essential during summer time.

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  22. Lisa @ Two Bears FarmJune 10, 2015 at 10:07 AM

    I used to never wear sunglasses, but I've found that my eyes are much more sensitive to light with age.

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  23. Six Time Mommy TESTJune 10, 2015 at 10:28 AM

    I never wear sunglasses. I'm awful. I think my whole family could use a good new pair. I'm so bad for losing mine or just not wearing them. Eyes are so important to take care of too! - Jeanine

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  24. Catch My WordsJune 10, 2015 at 10:54 AM

    We learn so much about what can harm us. When my kids were little, they never wore sunglasses. Of course when I was little, I never wore a bike helmet, and Mom put mercury on my knees when I popped them open.

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  25. Holy Ghost WriterJune 10, 2015 at 10:55 AM

    I try to wear them every time I'm out

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  26. Rawknrobyn.blogspot.comJune 10, 2015 at 11:03 AM

    Good reminders. I'm bad about this, Rosey, and there's no excuse. You can always find cute, cheap sunglasses. I can even wear kids' sunglasses, but I don't usually bother. Thank you for posting this.

    I hope you're well.

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  27. Pauline C.June 10, 2015 at 11:07 AM

    I love wearing sunglasses. And it is totally about the eye protection too but it is important to look good!

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  28. UnknownJune 10, 2015 at 11:15 AM

    I have several pair of sunglasses as I wear them now more so for fashion than actual protection. I need a pair of prescription though.

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  29. Yolanda WilliamsJune 10, 2015 at 11:41 AM

    I've always look at wearing sunglasses for fashion. I never thought of it as protection. This is a great reminder because we definitely need our eyes.

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  30. Kristi MaloneyJune 10, 2015 at 1:59 PM

    Yes, I am guilty of not protecting my eyes during the other seasons. Need to do a better job protecting them. Good information to be aware of!

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  31. Uplifting FamiliesJune 10, 2015 at 4:16 PM

    I don't wear sunglasses because I wear regular glasses and I don't want to put sunglasses over my current glasses. I probably should invest in transitional lens.

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  32. CourtneyLynneJune 10, 2015 at 4:44 PM

    My daughter and I are total sunglasses junkies! We would both wear them 24/7 if we could! Now my hubby... Ughhh.... Definitely need to work on him!

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  33. An Apel a DayJune 10, 2015 at 5:10 PM

    This week we had a major warm up. It's been really sunny. I've been wearing sun glasses a lot.

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  34. C.MahanJune 10, 2015 at 7:03 PM

    I have really sensitive eyes and too much light triggers a migraine so I have to wear sunglasses all summer long. I even wear them in the winter due to the glare of the sun off the snow.

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  35. Autumn Blues ReviewsJune 10, 2015 at 7:29 PM

    Sunglasses are very important. My hubby needs a pair. It's hard to pick out just the right one for him though.

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  36. Lisa BJune 10, 2015 at 8:22 PM

    It is so important to take care of your eyes. I always wear sunglasses to help protect them from the sun.

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  37. UnknownJune 10, 2015 at 10:54 PM

    My little guy does not own a pair of sunglasses. You've got me thinking I should get him a pair.

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  38. krystalJune 11, 2015 at 12:20 AM

    We just bought a pair of sunglasses for my toddler today actually. He picked them out all on his own!

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  39. Camesha | Mama MotivatorJune 11, 2015 at 1:13 AM

    This is a really good and informative post. It's so important to take care of your peepers! I love my sunnies and am annoyed if I don't have a pair with me. :)

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  40. Chatty CroneJune 11, 2015 at 7:26 AM

    Thank you I am going to send this to my daughter - very interesting and true.

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  41. Lisa RIosJune 11, 2015 at 8:26 AM

    Sounds like a very informative post indeed. I like to wear sunglasses, but I never thought of having one for my kids. Its really a great reminder for me. Thanks a lot for sharing this information.

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  42. UnknownJune 11, 2015 at 12:59 PM

    This reminds me that I really should go pick up a new pair! I've been through so many sunglasses that it's ridiculous - I either misplace them or I break them! lol

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  43. ~ NoelleJune 12, 2015 at 10:45 AM

    I thought it was interesting that your eyes can get sun burnt. Never knew...

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  44. UnknownJune 15, 2015 at 1:45 PM

    You'd think it would be obvious to protect your eyes since they're basically little jelly balls, but I don't and I know my kids don't.

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  45. Colette SJune 17, 2015 at 4:26 PM

    I've always believed this.
    Thanks for the good information.
    I just let the kids read it, so they don't think I"m just bugging them to wear it.
    I always try to get them to wear it.

    ReplyDelete

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