Summer Health: The Eyes Have It- Or Do They? #MC

I wrote this review while participating in an Influencer campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. and received a promotional item from Mom Central to thank me for participating.

Momma Told Me: If you're going out, protect yourself!


I have had vision troubles since early grade-school. No matter how many carrots I scarfed, and there were a lot, my eyes decided they wanted something more fashionable than my face. So Momma trounced right into the local mega warehouse store and promptly bought the most Harry-Potter esque frames she could find (long before Hogwarts existed, mind you.) From there on out my eyes and I had a tumultuous relationship. Partly because I am so discerning and such a perfectionist (I squint with even the slightest bit of clarity inconsistency,) and partly because I never cared to go the extra mile to take care of my eyes. After all, they sit in my head, there's not much more too it, right?

While you may let your lashes and lids do all the heavy lifting in the eye care department the truth is our sight and eyes can tell us a lot about our overall health. You may recall, a year and a half back, I was diagnosed pre-diabetic and learned I had consumed enough sugar, over a long enough time, to impact the clarity of my vision. I was lucky enough that the sharpness returned shortly after a dramatic diet change, and my retinas showed no signs of permanent blood vessel damage. The optometrist, however, did ask me an odd question,

"Do you wear sunglasses at all when you are outside?"

I thought it was an odd query, given my complexion most often matches a vampire, and my primary optical aid of choice is a pair of glasses. While I own a prescription pair of sunglasses it's not always convenient to pull them out and put my primary pair away safely. And it's not exactly like I'm just sitting outside staring into the sun, when I am out and about.

It turns out that many of the same facts and concerns that apply to UV Rays and skincare apply to your eyes as well. As a fair skinned gal I knew all too well that I can easily burn much quicker on an overcast day, then in the brightest direct light. What I didn't know was that those same rays can reflect off water, grass, and numerous other surfaces an absorb right through my retinas. Talk about scary all that ultraviolet radiation bouncing around inside my eyes! I already know my farsighted vision is nearing nearsighted (not good) and I'm not legally safe to do, well anything, without corrective vision, so I was even more alarmed to hear my optometrist tell me that UV damage is hard to measure and in most cases permanent. Effects may include a loss in clarity of vision or even cataracts, and are even more pronounced in younger, developing eyes.

While it was a terrifying visit, it was also an eye opening one. I learned that there are ways to limit the absorption of UV-A and UV-B rays into the retina through supplemental accessories like wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, and even UV Blocking contact lenses. While the UV blocking lens technology is pretty revolutionary, conclusive testing as far as the impact and long term benefits have not yet been done. Regardless, contacts such as Acuvue Moist Astigmatism 1-Day with Lacreon have been tested to filter up to 83% of UV-A and 97% of UV-B rays. And, when paired with monitored sun exposure and a hat, that leaves me feeling a lot more confident that I am truly looking out for my eyes.

Whether you have perfect vision, or wear coke bottle glasses, protecting your eyes from the sun is important all year round. Take the time to talk to your optometrist about possible early damage screening and visit this Fast Facts For Your Health roundup of eye care tips to learn more. Keep in mind that preventative care and protection is always better when stacked, do not rely on one method of UV protection alone. Sunglasses have different levels of UV blocking capabilities, an some UV rays will always get past; so limit your direct exposure to refracted rays with proper headgear when outside for more then 30 minutes at a time.

Do you consider UV protection for your eyes always, or only when your eyes are bothered by the sun?

What Daughter Says: We often remember sunblock and sunglasses, but we seldom consider these things when the sun isn't a nuisance.