Why You Need to Wear Sunglasses In the Winter

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 01/15/2020 - 15:23
group of friends playing in the snow, all wearing sunglasses in winter

Sunglasses are often viewed as accessories that make your overall look stand out from the crowd. But there's more to this type of eyewear than the aesthetic appeal, including protection from the elements. Most of us know that sunglasses provide extra protection for the summer months because of the intensity of the sun. You should, however, be equally concerned about wearing sunglasses during the winter months. 

Here are some of the ways sunglasses can help you during the winter months. 

Sunglasses protect your eyes from the elements

Winter months tend to be a little harsher for weather in general, but the wind can be particularly blustery and unfavorable. It causes dust and debris to fly around and damage or dry out your eyes. 

Sunglasses protect your eyes from the elements that may be propelled into the air by heavy winds. The best eyewear even guards the sides of your eyes with frames and lenses that wrap around the face, preventing air from drying your eyes out. 

Sunglasses reduce glare

It is common knowledge that the sun exudes brightness that causes harmful glare. Most of us are well aware of these risks during the summer months when surfaces that are already vibrant become even shinier with the sun’s essence. 

Winter, however, is also a time when the glare from the sun poses risks to the eyes. In such instances, the sun reflects from the water, clouds, or snow to ultimately impair the vision. Being exposed to this type of glare may become problematic to the health of your eyes but it also increases your risks of accidents while driving. 

A good pair of Xperio polarized sunglasses can protect your vision during the winter months so that you do not catch the glare from the sun’s radiance on the snow. Eyewear is especially essential for individuals who engage in winter sports activities like snowboarding and skiing, though polarized may not always be the best option for these sports where we want to protect the eyes still want to see the glare from patches of ice. 

Sunglasses prevent UV damage

Most people know sunglasses provide protection from the sunlight, but what they don’t know is that it is actually the ultraviolet light that causes damage to the eyes. Not only can you get a sunburn on the front surface of the eye, but UV also increases risks of cataracts and macular degeneration, along with certain types of skin cancer, like melanoma, that can develop inside the eye.

When looking for a good pair of sunglasses, make sure they have 100% UVA and UVB protection on the lenses. Plus, don’t forget to replace your sunglasses (or at least the lenses) every two years at most since the amount of UV protection will decrease with time.

Sunglasses can preserve the skin

The skin around your eyes tends to be more fragile than the skin on your arms and legs. In fact, the most common places for us to get skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma is on the sides of the nose, on the eyelids, and around the ears, all parts of the body that are protected by wearing sunglasses. It is, therefore, beneficial for you to wear sunglasses as often as possible to prevent the skin around your eyes from sun damage as well as to prevent wrinkling prematurely. 

Gem State Family Eyecare has many sunglasses to choose from. Stop by or schedule an appointment today to get the best protection for your eyes this winter. 

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