Essential Eye Gear to Maintain Health and Safety
In the rush of work and leisure activities, we can forget to wear protective eye gear, which can help us avoid permanent damage. From construction workers to weekend warriors renovating their homes, safety goggles are an essential precaution. Even during recreational activities, remembering to wear sunglasses with the proper UV protection can have a major impact on the health of our eyes.
Sunglasses With Proper UV Protection
After sitting at a desk all week, you may long to spend time outdoors during the weekend. To unwind, maybe you like to go bike riding or simply take a long drive on a favorite scenic route. If you ran out the door without your sunglasses, you may find the strong sunlight completely blinding—and hazardous to your eye health and safety.
According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), the sun’s UV radiation can cause the following:
● Cataracts
● Benign growths on the eye’s surface
● Cancer of the eyelids and skin around the eyes
● Photokeratitis (“snow blindness”), which is a temporary but painful sunburn of the eye’s surface
During the wintertime, you may not think that sunglasses are important. However, from the beach to the ski slopes, protecting your eyes is critical during every season of the year.
The AOA recommends looking for sunglasses, which at a minimum:
● Block at least 99% of both UV-A and UV-B radiation
● Screen out 75% to 90% of visible light
● Are gray for correct color perception and free of distortion and imperfection
If you always seem to forget your sunglasses, simply make it a habit to leave them with other essentials near your door. When you grab your coat, keys and bag, make sure that they are tucked in place before you’re ready to go. As an alternative, buy several pairs of sunglasses with proper UV protection; then, place them in the pockets of coats, which you wear regularly throughout the week.
Goggles for Work and Home-Renovation Projects
If you work on a construction site, you already know the importance of protecting your eyes with safety goggles. Homeowners tackling remodeling and other upkeep projects may forget to take this vital precaution.
Here are just a few of the projects, which require the use of goggles for eye safety:
● Trimming trees
● Sawing sheets of wood
● Heating various materials
When time is short to complete projects during the weekend or an evening, you may hurry to complete remodeling work on your home. Wearing safety goggles may feel uncomfortable or seem unnecessary if you just need to use power tools for a couple of minutes. However, an accident can happen in a split second and force you to pay a high price by impairing your vision.
Expert Eye Care
At Eastside Eye Associates and Tribeca Eye Physicians, we care about the health and protection of your eyes. If you need prescription sunglasses or other safety tips including the use of goggles, our experts can help. To schedule an appointment, call us at 212-861-6200 or 212-693-7200 now.
