Why You Need to Protect Your Eyes from UV Rays

After taking a short walk or hike in Northern Colorado, does your face appear redder than usual? If so, there is a reason for that, and it is called elevation. In Colorado, you are more susceptible to get sunburned than other places in the country because there is less atmosphere in the area, meaning more ultraviolet light exposure. Too much UV light can lead to eye damage and temporary vision loss. At Wellington Eye Care, serving the areas of Fort Collins and Wellington, we want to help protect your eyes from the harmful rays, and with our selection of sunglasses, we can do so. Keep reading to understand more about how elevation plays a part in more UV rays’ exposure, and what our optometrist can do to help safeguard your eyes

It is All about Elevation

Elevation plays a role in how much UV exposure you will receive, and it has to do with the atmosphere. For example, if you live in the Midwest area of Colorado, you have more atmosphere, meaning that by the time the sun’s rays reach this area, you are not as directly exposed to the rays. If you live near the Colorado Springs area, there is less atmosphere, which means there are more UV rays.

Overall, the higher up you go, the less atmosphere you will encounter, and the more UV ray exposure you will experience.

How Our Eye Doctor Can Help

Protecting your eyes is important, especially from UV rays. Not only can they cause vision loss, but they can also put you at risk for macular degeneration, cataracts, and photokeratitis. Our optometrist recommends that you wear sunglasses that offer 99 percent UVA and UVB protection and are polarized. These features can safeguard your eyes and will let you do the activities you love while out in the sun.

Come and Visit Our Eye Doctor to Pick Out Your Sunglasses

At Wellington Eye Care, serving the needs of our patients in Wellington and Fort Collins, we have a wide variety of sunglasses to choose from to protect your eyes from the sun’s rays. If you are in the area, come and visit us to pick out your sunglasses. For information about our sunglass selection, give us a call at 970-568-7161.