May is all about eye health and awareness! Today we’re talking about Ultraviolet Awareness Month, sponsored by Prevent Blindness America.
UV rays can compromise your eye health and safety, and Ultraviolet Awareness Month aims to increase awareness of UV rays can damage eyes, as well as increase risk of cataracts and cancers of the eye—particularly in high-risk patients.
UV Risks
Not only can UV affect your eye health, it can affect the area around your eyes as well. Skin cancers like basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, and melanomas, can occur on the skin surrounding the eye as well as on the surface of the eye, or inside the eye itself. Increased risk of these types of cancers are associated with:
- Smoking
- Family history
- Prolonged sun exposure/tanning beds
- Fair-skinned/Caucasian
- Light-colored eyes
Wear Sunglasses
It might sound crazy to someone who lives in Texas, but there are folks out there who don’t regularly wear sunglasses! Choose a pair that is 100 percent UV-absorbent for both UVA and UVB; you can also look for a “UV400” label.
Wearing a hat on a regular basis can also help protect your eyes, and the skin around your eyes, from harmful UVA and UVB rays—and don’t forget the sunscreen!
Sunglasses: A Few Favorites
Stop in to either of our Eye Elegance locations to shop sunglasses now! We have our eye on the latest collaborative effort from Robert Marc with renowned celebrity hairstylist Sally Hershberger. After bonding over a pair of vintage aviator glasses, an amazing collection was born—take a peek!
Don’t forget to follow Eye Elegance on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Pinterest, and YouTube for all the latest updates on new collections and in-store events and promotions.