With the return of spring – and the first heat, for the lucky few – we want to go for a weekend … Attention: if there is “one” accessory not to forget in the suitcase, it is the sunglasses. On the eve of the first spring break (from Saturday April 15) the National Association for the Improvement of Sight (AsnaV) recalls that “protecting your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun is not reserved only for periods summer ”.
The figures are in half-tone. Thus, according to the 2016 visual health barometer, 55% of French people always wear their sunglasses at the beach, but only 32% think about it in the city, even when the weather is good.
70% of teens prefer the look to the detriment of the protection
As for parents, 66% are interested in the UV protection when choosing sunglasses for their child; a decline from 2015, when they were 77%. Teenagers, for their part, completely skip this criterion since 70% of them favor the look of the frame above all else. Only 52% of French people aged 16 to 24 are interested in protection.
And yet, it is very important, as the AsnaV reminds us: “whatever the place, from the beginning of spring, the sun becomes threatening for the preservation of our visual capital”. In reality, it is essential to protect yourself against two factors: brightness (which causes glare) and ultraviolet radiation (the famous UV, which is impossible to see with the naked eye). The latter is the most dangerous since it accelerates the aging of the eye, which can lead to the development of certain specific pathologies – AMD for example.
Choosing the right sunglasses isn’t enough to just rely on the color of the lenses – very dark lenses don’t necessarily guarantee excellent protection. Better to take a look at the elements engraved inside the temples: if the words “CE” and “protection category 3 or 4” are present, we can go! Last tip: to avoid scams, buy your sun protection from a optician…
Source: AsnaV press release.
