Mayo Clinic Minute: Why sunglasses are a must-wear
Medically reviewed by Dawn Marie R. Davis, M.D.
The area around and on your eyelids has some of your body’s most delicate skin. Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun can damage not only the skin, but also the cornea, lens and other parts of the eye.
A good pair of sunglasses is much more than a fashion statement. They are an investment in your health says Dr. Dawn Davis, a Mayo Clinic dermatologist.
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They make you stylish and keep you safe.
“It’s a very good investment to have big sunglasses around the eyes.”
Dr. Davis says the bigger, the better, like movie stars wear.
The skin around the eye is some of the thinnest skin on the body and so it’s more susceptible to damage.
Dr. Davis says sunglasses help to prevent skin cancer around the eyes and good shades also guard against vision loss.
“Ultraviolet light can pass through the eye to the lens and cause cataracts,” says Dr. Davis. “So, if you wear sunglasses, you decrease your risk over your lifetime of cataract formation.”
Dr. Davis says to choose sunglasses that are labeled as having broad spectrum coverage or protection against UVA and UVB rays. Look for the same phrases on the sunglasses you buy for your children.
“We suggest sunglasses on children as early, and as young, as they will wear them.”
Start young, and create a lifelong habit of staying stylish and safe in the sun.
