Travelling is not always fun and games. You can encounter problems like lost baggage, sunburn, or getting sick. Furthermore, keeping healthy whilst travelling with young kids is even more challenging, as they may be more susceptible to health risks, like food poisoning.
Aside from worrying about the usual stomach bug or sunburn, you must also watch out for your family’s eye health during holidays, especially in more tropical climates. Many eye conditions can develop due to prolonged sun exposure, such as cataract formation, macular degeneration, and corneal damage.
Luckily, you can protect your eyes using sunglasses for happy and healthy family holidays. If you’re curious to know how these preserve your health, keep reading below.
How Sunglasses Preserve Eye Health During Holidays
They block UV rays
Apart from emitting heat, the sun is known to give off harmful UV rays. The UV rays damage the eyes by modifying their lens proteins, leading to cataract formation and worsening eyesight. UV levels of 3 or more can already cause major eye damage.
Sunglasses protect the eyes by blocking these UV rays. Many sunglasses today offer UVA and UVB protection, allowing you and your family to get sun exposure without compromising your eye health.
Protects the eyes from different elements
On a holiday, you’ll encounter different things like sand and dirt, which can get into your eyes. Sand and dirt can scratch the eye’s surface, resulting in corneal abrasion. Although temporary, this can cause pain and discomfort, especially for kids.
Sunglasses act as a barrier between these elements and your eyes. When it’s windy, for example, sand won’t easily land on your eyes compared to when you’re not wearing sunglasses.
Reduces eye strain
Prolonged exposure to sunlight and heat can cause eye strain. This is when your eyes burn, get tired, or dry out. While this is temporary, it can result in headaches or migraines in the long run. This will prevent you from enjoying your holiday and even lead to stress, making it easier to get sick while travelling. Wearing sunglasses blocks the sun’s harsh glare that causes eye strain.
Now that you’re aware of how sunglasses work to preserve your eye health, here are some things you need to consider when getting sunglasses for your family.
What to Look for When Buying Sunglasses
Polarised lenses
Since holidays involves many outdoor activities and exploring, you’ll be under the sun most of the time. Given this, it’s essential to get sunglasses with polarised lenses to reduce the glare from the sun. This will let you see your surroundings better, helping you avoid accidents and appreciate the destination’s views.
Moreover, these can block the sunlight reflecting on the ground or water, contributing to eye strain. Kids with sensitive eyes will also benefit from polarised sunglasses by preventing discomfort. Oakley carries a lot of polarised sunglasses options, including their Frogskins and Latch models.
UV protection
As mentioned above, sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection block harmful sun rays. So, get a pair that offers 100% protection to prevent the eye conditions previously discussed, including cataract formation and macular degeneration. You can check the sunglasses’ description or ask a sales assistant to confirm if the pair you’re eyeing provides maximum protection.
Some eyewear that has the best UV protection include Nikon Lenswear. Their new lens technology offers enhanced protection against UV light, perfect for holidays where you’ll spend more time outdoors than indoors.
Sunglasses are a must-bring during family holidays. Get everyone a pair of polarised and UV-blocking sunglasses before your next trip!
