Recommended Eyeglasses for Winter
Winter is finally upon us once again and for some of us that means driving rains, freezing snow, and lots of sleet are soon to be part of our lives. You wouldn’t even think about leaving the house in those conditions without a jacket and a good pair of shoes but, surprisingly, people often leave their sunglasses on the table during the colder months. It’s surprising because, even while we’re bundling up against the cold, the sun is still shining. In some cases, the winter sun can be even harder on our eyes than it is in the summer.
We should pay particular attention to eye protection on the days where you find yourself snowed in. Once the clouds have departed, leaving their snowy blanket behind, the world takes on an entirely different shine. On these days the sun isn’t just shining down from above, it’s also reflecting back up from the snow covered ground and straight into your vulnerable unprotected eyes. This double dose of harmful UV rays is why the winter time sun can be more hazardous to your eyes’ continued good health, and why it’s imperative you wear a good quality pair of sunglasses.
Of course, you want to look good in your sunglasses but this consideration should be secondary to the level of UV protection they can provide. Always check your sunglasses specifications in order to ensure they are protecting you against 100% of the UV light. Sunglasses providing this level of protection will have it listed that they block 400 nanometers, or UV400. Don’t stress about the cost of sunglasses with this level of protection as many quality brands are available that are also relatively inexpensive. When you’re choosing a new pair of sunglasses you should also pay attention to the size of the lenses. You want a lens size that will adequately protect the eyes and their surrounding area. The bigger the area the less UV rays will be able to enter your eyes. For the ultimate in UV protection opt for a pair of glasses which have a side shield for blocking any periphery UV sneaking in from the sides.
Most people are aware that sunglasses are an essential item for a day at the beach because of the light rays bouncing off the water but it also applies for when you are spending some time on the snow or ice, that is why polarized eyeglasses are popular among many people. Just because it’s cold out, if there is snow or ice on the ground, then it’s imperative you wear eye protection. If you regularly tackle the slopes on a pair of skis it also pays to know that UV intensifies the higher the altitude making sunglasses a vital component of your skiing gear. Now that you know how important eye protection is during the entire year, not just the hot summer months, make it a priority to never leave your sunglasses at home.
