Khaberni - Dr. Sino Guiziev, an eye medicine and surgery specialist, points out that many people buy sunglasses in the summer, however, most of them do not check whether they include UV protection.
The doctor warned that choosing inappropriate sunglasses could lead to severe eye damage, explaining how to select sunglasses that provide effective protection from ultraviolet rays.
He indicated that the effects of ultraviolet rays accumulate gradually without direct notice, emphasizing that children are most at risk, as a person receives about 80 percent of their UV dose during childhood before the age of 18. This is due to the transparency of the lens and dilation of the pupil at this stage, making visual protection essential from an early age.
He explained that short-term risks include retinal burns from direct exposure to sunlight without protection, and photokeratitis, which appears several hours after exposure, especially in high-reflectance environments such as mountainous or snowy areas. This condition is associated with severe pain, tears, a feeling of sand in the eyes, light sensitivity, dryness, and redness.
In the long term, he mentioned risks such as lens opacity, age-related macular degeneration, tissue growth on the corneal surface, along with increased risk of cancers of the eye and surrounding tissues.
He stressed the importance of choosing sunglasses that carry clear accreditation marks such as UV400, 100 percent UV protection, or the CE mark, warning that the absence of these marks could make the sunglasses more dangerous than not using them at all, because dark lenses might cause pupil dilation and increase the intake of harmful rays.
He added that choosing the filters should match the environment, recommending category 2 for urban settings, category 3 for beaches or during driving and outdoor activities, while category 4 is reserved for high mountainous areas and is not recommended for driving.
He also mentioned that polarized lenses reduce glare and eye strain but do not provide protection from ultraviolet rays, making the protective filter a crucial indispensable element.
He concluded by emphasizing the importance of buying sunglasses from specialized optical stores only, to ensure the quality of the lenses and the possibility of verifying specifications and obtaining reliable guarantees.
