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Despite the importance of always wearing UV-protective sunglasses while outside, many truck and courier drivers are still unaware of the importance of UV eye protection.
UV radiation is known as the cause of sunburn and skin cancer, but most people don’t realise the damage this form of radiation can have on a driver's vision. The problem starts with the sun’s unfiltered UV rays. Just as these rays can burn skin cells, they can also damage unprotected eyes. Years of exposure can cause cancer of the eye or eyelid, and accelerate conditions like cataracts and age-regulated macular degeneration.
Things to Remember
- Despite the health risks of UV exposure, not all sunglasses have UV protection. Since UV protection is crucial to shielding eyes from damaging radiation, it is imperative to look for a label, sticker or tag indicating UV protection before purchasing a pair of sunglasses.
- UV protection has nothing to do with the darkness or color of a lens. Wearing sunglasses with dark lenses without adequate UV protection can actually be worse than wearing no sunglasses at all because they cause the eye’s pupil to dilate, which then increases retinal exposure to the unfiltered UV.
- UV rays are just as dangerous on cloudy days as they are on clear days. Just like skin, eyes can accumulate harmful UV radiation on overcast days so be sure to wear proper eye and skin protection while outside.
- Similar to cloudy days, cold days also carry UV risk. The sun is present year-round, which means UV rays are a constant regardless of weather. UV rays can’t be seen, but their long-term effects are extremely damaging to the eyes.
For more information, check out the National Sunglasses Day website.
