Experts from the University of Alicante (UA) have found that prolonged exposure to the sun increases the chance of developing alterations in the lens by 4%. However, choosing the right pair of sunglasses can reduce such complications.
Despite the fact that the vast majority of the harmful radiation from the sun is absorbed by the atmosphere, enough ultraviolet rays do reach Earth’s surface to cause skin burns and eye complications in structures like the retina and cornea. In this sense, studies highlight that each hour spent exposed to the sun in the summer increases the chance of developing alterations in the lens by 4%.
The researchers, from the UA’s Department of Optics, Pharmacology and Anatomy, stress that using approved sunglasses from 10 to 4pm can reduce this chance by around 2%.
There is an important thing to know when you’re buying sunglasses – that is what filter category you need. This is determined by your location and activity. In accordance with European regulations on sunglasses, UV filters are classified into five categories, from 0 to 4.
When driving, for instance, you need use a category 1, 2 or 3 filter lens, depending on the conditions; never a 4, since this can interfere with your perception of traffic signs. Piñero tells us that “in the summer in Alicante a category 2 or 3 filter is more than enough, though if we’re going out onto the water or into the mountains, where light is reflected much more strongly, protection level 4 would be advisable.”
Source: sciencedaily.com