National Sunglasses Day Is June 27!
We live in a state that gets a lot of sunlight. So much so that in 1970 "The Sunshine State" became the official nickname for Florida.
Sunshine is wonderful - it makes people feel happy, it is great for growing beautiful plants, and it's available year round. But sunlight also contains ultraviolet light, which you may know as UV light. This part of light can be dangerous: It can cause sunburns, premature aging, and disease.
To increase awareness of the importance of UV protection the Vision Council has promoted National Sunglasses Day annually. National Sunglasses Day is held on June 27. It is not only an observance but a reminder that our sunglasses are a health necessity, and it is important to wear sunglasses or other UV-protective eyewear every day to protect long-term eye health.
This is especially important for kids and adults who live in our Tampa area. As you can see here, Tampa is the 4th highest city for UV radiation, with extra risk over half of the year. Why is this important to know? Because UV can cause lots of eye problems like cataracts, skin cancer, and macular degeneration.
Did you know that sunglasses are important for kids, too? Children receive more annual sun exposure than adults because many of their activities are outdoors. This increased exposure to sunlight also increases children’s exposure to damaging UV light. Children’s eyes differ from adults’ in that children’s ocular lenses do not filter UV light as effectively as can adults’ do.
Because UV exposure adds up over a life time, it is important to begin protection at an early age. Over a lifetime, damage from unprotected exposure to UV rays can lead to eye diseases and conditions that will affect the health of the eyes and vision.
To encourage young people to protect their eyes from ultraviolet light, we are giving away free Bright Eyes sunglasses like the ones we gave to Little Stride Fitness. You can bring your child to Bright Eyes Kids on National Sunglasses Day (this Saturday between 9am and 1pm) receive your free pair!
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