Top Tips for Children's Sunglasses

This is my youngest daughter…and whilst it may be raining outside, she wears her sunglasses come rain or shine.  I have to admit that we do get a few funny looks but the reality is that she is actually doing something great and we should all be encouraging our little ones to put their shades on, even on a cloudy day! 

You see, a scary truth is that only about 30% of children under 10 wear sunglasses, and yet, experts estimate that up to half of a person's lifetime exposure to UV radiation occurs by age 18, meaning protecting their eyes while they are young is one of the best things we, as parents, can do.

Here's a few interesting facts:

1. The lens of the child's eye transmits about 70 percent more UV than the adult eye, putting their retina at a larger risk
2. The cells of the lens of the eye are never replaced and damage accumulates over a lifetime. Therefore, the earlier kids wear sunglasses, the less damage later on in life
3. Children under 10 are at a higher risk for both skin and eye damage, because their skin and eyes are more fragile and so you should encourage them to wear their shades between 10am and 4pm when the sun rays are at their strongest
4. Children are outdoors much more than adults, therefore it is likely that over 1/2 of their life exposure to the sun will occur within the first 18 years of their life
5. Very bright sunlight – reflected off sand, snow, water or the pavement – can cause immediate damage to the cornea.  Likewise, children look up more, which means they are constantly looking up into the sun.
6. When children's eyes get sunburned, unless it is severe, they will not feel the pain as they do with the skin. The warning signs are not so obvious and yet, the long-term effects of sunburned eyes are cumulative and not completely reversible. The cataract, pterygium and macular degeneration, melanomas of older age likely begin with childhood UV and blue light exposure.
7. Hats only protect from above, not below, where reflected UV from water, sand or concrete can do a lot of damage.
8. Children with blue eyes are at a greater risk for UV damage than children with brown eyes, so parents should be aware that blue eyes need vigilant protection.

So, the best bit of advice we can give is to get your children protected and make sure they have a suitable pair of sunglasses for when the sun shines!

What to consider when purchasing sunglasses for your child 

1. Children are never too young to wear sunglasses so encourage them to start wearing them from when they are babies as long as they will keep them on
2. Sunglasses should provide virtually 100% UVA protection
3. They should conform to European safety standards, EN 1836:2005
4. Lookout for those marked as UV400, which means they block a minimum of 99.9% UVB and 99% UVA
5. Let your child have a say and when you have found some sunglasses that meet these specifications let your children pick out the design of sunglasses that they like. They will be more likely to wear them if they like the colour and the frames.

Our Grech & Co sunglasses are perfect for little eyes and what's more, they are available in a range of seven exciting colours so your little ones can choose the shades that they love! They currently retail at £20.00 and come with a protective dust bag which also doubles up as a glass cleaner to keep the sunglasses looking sparkly new!

Keep your children safe in the sun and buy your perfect pair here.