School’s out so sunglasses on, hopefully!

Post on 29th May 2018

Half-term holidays are sure to brighten up children, especially if the sun shines.

Freed from classroom constraints, it’s a chance to get out and about and enjoy time spent with family and friends.

These should be carefree days – for the kids if not necessarily parents.

Caring about the health and welfare of your children is always with you.

And if our unpredictable weather brings with it hot and sunny days this half-term, it’s important to be prepared.

Please ensure your children have sunglasses and encourage them to wear them. They look cool as well as doing a cool job of protection.

The dangers of skin sunburn are widely known, but children’s eyes can also be at risk of damage from the sun if they are not protected.

Unlike sunburn, eye burn is not obvious as we cannot see or feel it. To protect against it, children and adults too need to wear suitable sunglasses and seek shade when necessary. Hats and sun cream are advisable too.

Prolonged exposure to UV light can contribute to a number of eye health conditions such as macular degeneration and cataracts. And just like the skin, tissues in the eye are susceptible to melanomas.

When purchasing sunglasses please look for styles that block both UVA and UVB rays and carry the ‘CE Mark’, British Standard (BS EN 1836:1997) and have a UV 400 label, guaranteeing 100% protection.

Remember that even on dull days UV rays can penetrate thin clouds and haze.

Looking after your eyes to keep them healthy will reduce the chances of vision loss in the future so it’s worth doing this from an early age.

If you need eye health advice and effective sunglasses, please call in at your local Scrivens branch.