Teach Me Something!

Wear UV Blocking Sunglasses, Your Eye Health Depends on it!

Most people understand the link between UV radiation and cancer, but many don’t consider the connection between UV radiation and eye damage. The same UV light rays that can cause skin cancer can also severely affect our eyes and the sensitive skin that surrounds them. The effect that UV light has on our eyes only increases over time. The more time we spend in the sun or under artificial UV radiation, the more damaged our eyes can become.

With 2018 in full bloom and the dog days of summer looming on the horizon, now may be the perfect time to pick up a new pair of sunglasses. But in our quest to scoop up the latest designer frames or the hippest wrap-around reflective shades, safety often takes a backseat to style. It is easy to forget that the most important job of our sunglasses is to protect our eyes from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Thankfully, it is pretty easy to find a pair of sunglasses that looks good and protects your eyes — no matter what your budget is.

The First World War was the first major military conflict to see the utilization of aircraft in both reconnaissance and attack missions. As United States aircraft took to the sky, pilots were naturally afflicted by the intense sun at higher altitudes. Combat pilots would often land with exhausted and strained eyes after flights with no eye protection. To remediate this issue, The Army Air Corp contracted a project to optics manufacturer Bausch & Lomb with the aim to have sun blocking glasses for all of their pilots.