SCHOOL’S OUT! How to protect children’s eyes from the sun during the holidays

School’s out for summer! The beach beckons and long sunny days in the great outdoors are ahead. It all sounds idyllic.  But the holidays can only go with a swing when we know the children are having fun safely.

Children need protecting from so many things; life, monsters, busy roads and the sun!  We know that sunshine is essential for growth and our general wellbeing, and we know that our children’s skin needs protecting from it’s harmful rays – we know what appropriate action to take to ensure protection.  However, often overlooked are young eyes.  The sun’s rays can be very harmful to our eyes, so we recommend some simple steps to  keep them in tip top condition while the kids are having fun in the sun!

1. Sunglasses should be worn in bright conditions. Parents are always quick to put on their own sunglasses but very often you see a family where the adults are wearing them but children aren’t!
2. Choose a good quality pair. In order to block out harmful UV rays you should look for the CE quality mark when choosing.
3. Sunglasses can have a prescription lens or just glass.
4. Always discourage your children from looking directly at the sun.
5. Take care when playing in the sand; remember the light can be intensified on the beach so make sure you take plenty of shade breaks.

So there you have it! Our top 5 tips to keep kids eyes safe in the sun. For more information you can look at the NHS article here.

Any frame at North Opticians can be made into sunglasses, with or without a prescription, so why not pop in today and have a look?