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The Various Forms of Sun
Protection
In Australia, sun radiation can cause severe
damage the skin and eyes. We have the highest
skin cancer rate in the world. Eye damage
includes cancer of the eyelids, pterygia,
cataracts and retinal damage. Children have just
as great a need for U.V. protection, but often
are not fitted with sunglasses at all. It is
important to discuss this issue with relatives
and friends to ensure that everyone, young and
old, wears appropriate sun protection. There are
several ways of protecting the eyes from the
sun. These include:
- a)When the eyesight is normal, ordinary sunglasses can
be worn. They can be a well-known brand such as Ray-Bans or a
more economical brand such as Polaroid Glarefoil. They both offer
similar protection in the sun despite the price difference. We
stock a selected range of sunglasses that offer maximal
protection from UV radiation. Polaroid lenses are good for fishing
as they cut out reflected light from the waters, without necessitating
the wearing of a very dark lens. A hat or other type of
eyeshade is also quite beneficial as it can cut out a significant
proportion of the sunlight that reaches the eyes.
- b) If distance glasses are worn, then clip-on sunglasses
can be worn over the normal distance glasses. This can save on
the cost of having a separate pair of prescription sunglasses.
Some clip-ons can be flipped up or down as needed. Some frames
are now made with magnets attached to their sides and the sun
lenses can be attached magnetically.
- c) There are fit-over sunglasses, which are large enough
to fit around (on top of) the normal distance glasses. These offer
protection from sun and wind from the sides as well. These also
come at very affordable prices.
- d) Photochromic sunglasses darken when there is sunlight
(especially of a direct form). They do not darken much when driving
and as such are not very useful for this purpose; however they
can be worn all year round. Some people decide to use photochromic
lenses for general wearing and also keep a clip-on in the car
to be used over the photochromic lenses when driving. Photochromic
lenses now come in plastic as well as glass. The plastic
Transition III lenses lighten enough for indoor use and night
driving. The Colourmatic lenses are a more recent development
of plastic photochromic lens and as such have a number of advantages.
These include faster reaction times and higher tint density in
hot weather etc.
- e) Prescription glasses in plastic can be tinted with a clear
U.V. coating. This provides excellent U.V. protection without
the necessity of a tint. Prescription sunglasses have a
tint added on top of the U.V. coating to cut out visible light
as well. The density and colour can be selected as desired according
to the degree of glare symptoms and brightness of surroundings.
Prescription sunglasses can be made from the original Ray Ban
lens material. They can also be made with a Polaroid tint as well.
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