Protect your children's sight from the risk from UV damage.

Cumulative exposure to UV is one of the main risk factors of age related macular degeneration – the leading cause of sight loss in the UK and cataracts, a clouding of the eyes lens, which affects one in three people aged over 65 years. Repeated exposure to sunlight can also increase the risk of cancer of the eyelid and the skin surrounding the eye and of Pterygium – a growth on the white of the eye, which encroaches onto the cornea and can obscure vision.

Guidelines to protect your children's sight - and your own! - from UV damage:

• Wear good quality sunglasses and a peaked hat when spending any time outdoors  especially  on the beach or by water where there is a lot of reflected light.
• Brimmed hats and sunshades attached to buggies generally provide adequate protection for babies and very young children.
• Sunglasses  should carry the European Standard CE mark or the British Standard BSEN 1836:1997 to ensure they offer a safe level of UV protection.
• Don't let children wear "toy" sunglasses or those not providing at least 99 per cent protection from UVA and UVB - they can actually cause more damage because the tinted lenses dilate the pupil allowing more UV light to enter the eye.
  
• Choose plastic or toughened glass lenses for added durability.
• Ensure the sunglasses fit well and feel comfortable – your optician can advise on styles and sizes to ensure maximum protection and fit.
  
• Foam frames can be a good option very young children.
  

To protect your family’s eyes this summer the Eyecare Trust has produced the Get UV Protected guide to safe sun vision. This is free from many high street optometrist  or can be downloaded from the Eyecare Trust’s website www.eyecare-trust.org.uk