Every child should wear sunglasses to avoid eye damage, insist opticians

Published on Monday 17 August 2009 22:57

PARENTS have been advised to make their children wear sunglasses after experts warned of long-term damage to the retinas of youngsters exposed to sunlight.

A survey of 2,000 parents by the College of Optometrists revealed three out of four parents are failing to protect their child's eyesight in the sun.

Youngsters need sunglasses with ultra-violet protection, but 76 per cent of parents admit their child does not always wear glasses in the sun. At the same time, 76 per cent said they apply sun cream to their child.

The survey, published today, also found 29 per cent of parents never buy sunglasses for their youngsters. If they do, only a quarter buy a reputable brand and 46 per cent put price before protection.

Sunlight can damage the retina and the lens of the eye and lead to long-term damage. Conditions such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration have been linked to too much exposure to the sun. The college recommends dark glasses with a CE mark for quality.

Dr Susan Blakeney, optometric adviser at the College of Optometrists, said: "I am shocked to see so many parents aren't ensuring that their child's eyes are protected in the sun, and am equally astounded to see that of those who do, many are opting for cheap and cheerful over quality.

"Sunglasses don't need to be expensive to offer good protection but it is important for parents to check that the pair they buy carry a CE mark."

People with pale eyes are most at risk and those with blue eyes should always wear sunglasses, the college said.

Carol Field, of 20-20 Opticians in Queen Street, Edinburgh, also advised against buying cheap sunglasses, as wearing non-UV-absorbing lenses does more damage than not wearing sunglasses at all. Ms Field said: "Cheap lenses are tinted rather than optical quality so they keep the pupils open and allow the more harmful rays to go through into the back of the eye."

She added: "Buying quality sunglasses for children is just not something people are tuned into thinking about, unless their children already wear glasses, in which case so they might think about prescription sunglasses, too.

"And people are loath to buy sunglasses if children are going to quickly grow out of them. You can get sunglasses made up for small children from toddler age from all reputable opticians."

Sunglasses ensure a safe level of UV protection if they carry the CE mark and are made to British Standard BS EN 1836:1997.

According to the Eyecare Trust, scratched lenses scatter the sun's light, which could cause glare around the damaged area.

Sunglasses should be kept in a case to avoid wear and tear, cleaned regularly with a mild detergent and water, and dried with a microfibre cloth, not paper, to avoid scratching the lens.