False. You can’t judge how well sunglasses block ultraviolet light by the price. You can buy expensive designer glasses that don’t have good protection. Read the label to see if the lenses block 100% of UVA and UVB rays.
False. Children’s eyes need protection the same as adults.
True. Both cataracts and age-related macular degeneration may be caused (at least in part) by too much ultraviolet light exposure.
True. If you are a mountain dweller, you will likely be exposed to higher UV levels than if you live in the lowlands. The UV exposure increases at higher altitudes because the earth’s atmosphere is thinner. The ozone layer is less effective at blocking the UV radiation.
False. You need your sunglasses on cloudy days, too. Haze and clouds don’t prevent UV rays from reaching your eyes.
False. Sunglass lenses with dark tints are not more protective against UV rays than those with a light tint.
False. High-energy visible (HEV) light – also called blue light – is in the visible light spectrum, not in the UV range. It is suspected as a cause of age-related macular degeneration so certain sunglasses are designed to block HEV light, too.
False. People with light-colored eyes may be more at risk of UV-related eye damage, but people of any eye color can benefit from UV protection.
False. Gray is considered the most neutral of tints when it comes to color perception.
False. It’s not OK to gaze at the sun. Even if you’re wearing sunglasses it can damage your retinas.
True. Anti-reflective coating applied to the back surface of sunglasses helps to eliminate glare and eye strain.
False. The UV index was developed by the National Weather Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1994 based on a similar index developed two years earlier in Canada. 1 is low risk and 11+ is extreme risk of UV radiation that can cause sunburn, skin cancer, and cataracts. Here’s a link to today’s UV Index levels for most of North America.
True. If you wear contact lenses with a UV blocker, you still need to wear sunglasses because the contacts only protect the parts of the eye that are directly behind the lenses. The surrounding tissues are still exposed to the sun.
True. Certain medications can increase the body’s sensitivity to UV rays.
Readers, did you enjoy the quiz? Surprised by any answers?