Drug Delivery Report

Sunshine and warm weather equal outdoor activity for children. But this is also the right time to get kids sunglasses and protective eyewear which is what parents who are interested in their child's eye health will do.

Everyone is at risk for eye damage as a result of exposure to the sun even though a lot of parents don't think about getting sunglasses for their kids. Did you know that children might be at a higher risk because their developing eyes may be less protected from the sun's ultraviolet rays than those of adults?

Wearing sunglasses that block UV rays can help prevent eye problems such as cataracts and macular degeneration - two leading causes of blindness. Since UV damage is cumulative over a lifetime, it's important for kids to start wearing sunglasses as early as possible to potentially minimize this damage.

Sunglasses must block 99 percent to 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays to be effective. When it comes to how well the glasses protect eyes from UV light, the darkness of the lens is not an effective indicator.

Consult an optometrist to choose the right sunglasses. They are the doctors who provide primary vision care, examining people's eyes to diagnose vision problems and eye diseases.

Obtaining this expert advice can be as simple as visiting your local Wal-Mart or Sam's Club Vision Center. To each of the Vision Centers at these stores, there is an office adjacent to it and is staffed by knowledgeable, professional and licensed independent optometrists who can provide affordable and comprehensive eye examinations as well as prescriptions for glasses and contacts.

Recommended by the American Optometric Association are comprehensive eye examinations by an eye doctor at 3 and 5 years of age for all children.

The optometrist can also offer guidance when it comes to eye protection. Every year, more than 40,000 sports-related eye injuries occur and most are related to children. You can actually prevent more than 90% of these injuries if you wear proper eye protection such as sports goggles which are designed for impact resistance, unlike regular eye glasses that could break upon impact and possibly cause serious injury.

During any sport that involves physical contact or a ball, bat, stick, racket or puck, eye protection should be worn.