Safe sunglasses for children - what kind of sunglasses?

A child's intraocular lens transmits seven times more UV light than an adult's eye. Lack of sun protection can cause conjunctivitis and retinal damage to the child. Sunglasses are designed to protect the eyes from harmful UV rays and polarize sunlight. It is best to choose glasses with a filter of 400. What else to pay attention to in order to protect the glasses and not to harm them?

Sunglasses for children – children's age?

A child's eyes are very sensitive from the first day of life. In the case of newborns, it is important to protect the eyes of the newborn baby, e. g. by using cover in the stroller to protect them from the harmful UV-A and UV-B rays. The sooner a child starts wearing sunglasses for children, the better, especially when walking on sunny days and whenever the eyes are exposed to the sun. Special glasses for half-year-old babies are already available on the market. If you get used to wearing glasses early on, your child will be happy to wear them on a sunny day in the future. A one-year-old child should already have his or her sunglasses.

Children sunglasses – how do they protect eyes?

Ultraviolet radiation in short UV is a kind of electromagnetic radiation, invisible to humans with wavelengths from 10 nm to 400 nm. UV-B rays produce vitamin D3, which prevents rickets in children. However, radiation also has a bad effect on the skin, because it damages collagen fibers.

How does it work on the eyes? The cornea and lens together form a UV filter for the eye. In the retina of the eye, which is responsible for converting light energy into a nerve impulse, there are pigments responsible for photochemical and light-absorbing reactions. These are the ones that are exposed to damage by UV rays. Lack of sun protection can cause:

• solar corneal inflammation,

• solar conjunctivitis,

• fat (type of degeneration of the conjunctiva),

• cataract,

• macular degeneration.
  

In children under 10 years of age, the intraocular lens transmits as much as 75% of the harmful UV light, compared to only 10% in people over 25 years of age. These data undeniably show that the protection of children's eyes from UV radiation is essential.

Which sunglasses should I choose for children?

 Children's sunglasses are sold everywhere. Especially in the summer season you can find stalls with glasses at every step. Unfortunately, they do not have a UV filter or an EU CE mark, which indicates the minimum quality standard required in the member states.

Lack of filter in dark glasses can cause permanent eye damage because the eye is deceived. A dark lens gives the eye a signal that it is e. g. night or dark and the eye exclusive natural protective mechanisms against sunlight and accepts without limitation the dose of harmful UV radiation. This is more harmful than not wearing dark glasses at all. Sunglasses for children should be purchased only in opticians'; shops or only from good and well-known companies. 

Sunglasses for children with a filter - the best parameters

Knowing that the UV filter in sun lenses inhibits the penetration of sunlight and its reaching the eye, it is best to choose sunglasses for children that have a UV 400 filter. This means that the sunlight will not reach the eye up to a wavelength of 400 nm, i. e. the eye is fully protected because it is a barrier against the full range of UV waves.

Sunglasses for children with filters sold in Poland and other member states must meet the standards of the European Union. Very important is the CE certificate, which is most often embossed on the inside of the temple of the frames. Among other things, it demonstrates the use of safe raw materials in the manufacture of glasses. What does that mean? The material of which the frames and lenses are made is not harmful to the body of our child.

Cheap glasses bought at the bazaars can be made from carcinogenic plastic produced in China. It is not worth saving on sunglasses for a child, because the most important thing is the health of our child.