Sunglasses Protect Children Eyes
American Optometry Society: Children’s annual UV exposure is three times that of adults, and 80% of their lifetime UV exposure occurs before the age of 20. Children’s lens is not easy to filter ultraviolet rays, which can damage the retina. Ultraviolet radiation causes eye problems for people of all ages, but it is important for children to protect their eyes because their refractive system is more transparent.
Sunlight mainly includes infrared, visible and ultraviolet. The visual development of infants and young children needs the stimulation of visible light, not high-energy ultraviolet light, which is used by humans to disinfect. Our human eyes automatically filter ultraviolet rays: the cornea only allows light with wavelengths above 295nm to enter the eye and absorbs UVA, while the lens can absorb the energy of light with wavelengths below 400nm and absorbs UVB. Even so, 1% of ultraviolet rays still reach the retina, accumulating over time, enough to induce the onset of susceptible people with age-related macular degeneration.
The damage of ultraviolet rays is invisible. Adults can filter most of them, but children cannot. The transparency of the lens of infants and young children is higher than that of adults, which means that UV rays penetrate more! Lens transparency: 95% at birth, 80% at 6 months, 75% at 8 years old, and 20% at 25 years old. As shown in the figure, the color of the lens gradually turns yellow as the lens ages, and the ultraviolet rays reaching the retina gradually decrease. The lens actually plays the role of sunglasses inside the eye. If you don’t wear sunglasses for your child, your child’s lens will be forced to absorb more UV rays.
Due to the cumulative effect of ultraviolet radiation on the eyes, excessive ultraviolet exposure in children and youth will manifest in old age: mildly harmful pterygium, moderately harmful senile cataract, and fortunately, it can be treated with surgery; The severe hazard is age-related macular degeneration, which is a blinding eye disease that affects approximately 7.4% of Asians.
Sunlight mainly includes infrared, visible and ultraviolet. The visual development of infants and young children needs the stimulation of visible light, not high-energy ultraviolet light, which is used by humans to disinfect. Our human eyes automatically filter ultraviolet rays: the cornea only allows light with wavelengths above 295nm to enter the eye and absorbs UVA, while the lens can absorb the energy of light with wavelengths below 400nm and absorbs UVB. Even so, 1% of ultraviolet rays still reach the retina, accumulating over time, enough to induce the onset of susceptible people with age-related macular degeneration.
The damage of ultraviolet rays is invisible. Adults can filter most of them, but children cannot. The transparency of the lens of infants and young children is higher than that of adults, which means that UV rays penetrate more! Lens transparency: 95% at birth, 80% at 6 months, 75% at 8 years old, and 20% at 25 years old. As shown in the figure, the color of the lens gradually turns yellow as the lens ages, and the ultraviolet rays reaching the retina gradually decrease. The lens actually plays the role of sunglasses inside the eye. If you don’t wear sunglasses for your child, your child’s lens will be forced to absorb more UV rays.
Due to the cumulative effect of ultraviolet radiation on the eyes, excessive ultraviolet exposure in children and youth will manifest in old age: mildly harmful pterygium, moderately harmful senile cataract, and fortunately, it can be treated with surgery; The severe hazard is age-related macular degeneration, which is a blinding eye disease that affects approximately 7.4% of Asians.