Is it important for children to wear sunglasses? The answer - yes yes yes!

Most adults wear sunglasses on bright, sunny days but how often do you see children wearing them? When in fact it is just as important to protect children’s eyes, if not more!

Our eyes are 10 times more sensitive to UV than our skin and childrens eyes are at the greatest risk of UV damage. With larger pupils and clearer lenses it means up to 70 per cent more UV light reaches the retina than in an adults eye.

Children and teenagers are particularly susceptible to the sun’s damaging rays because they typically spend more time outdoors than adults.

Overexposure to UV is associated with a number of eye problems later in life, including macular degeneration and cataracts. So protecting our eyes from a young age will make a difference to our eye health later in life.

Top tips for kid’s eye protection:

• Wear sunglasses that have the European or British Standards marks

• Wear a cap/ brimmed hat in addition to your sunglasses

• Stay out of the midday sun

• Ensure the sunglasses fit well and feel comfortable - we can advise on this!

• If children wear prescription glasses there is the option of having prescription sunglasses or photochromatic lenses