Sunglasses are not just a fashion accessory in the Israeli summer, but a necessary health item.
What to consider when buying sunglasses?
It's important to make sure the lenses will screen both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B (UVA and UVB) rays. The protection from the ultraviolet light is especially important during the summer when radiation is much more powerful than during the winter.
It's important to buy sunglasses in opticians’ stores. Sunglasses that are purchased in opticians’ stores have the approval of standard institutes that check that the sunglasses indeed screen the UVA and UVB rays. There are no guarantees of approval by standard institutes for sunglasses purchased from stands or in markets.
Make sure sunglasses are placed in the proper position – close to the eyes and as close as possible close to both sides of the head so the rays won't penetrate from above. For this reason, large lenses are better than small ones; dark lenses block more light than paler ones, although both screen radiation equally. If you feel the sunglasses are not close enough, or slip down your nose, wear a hat as well.
Do not look directly at the sun.
Children in particular need good eye protection to prevent radiation damage. When you buy sunglasses for children, make sure they have quality lenses and radiation screens. In Australia, where the sun radiation is extremely high and the skin cancer is more common than in the rest of the world, all children are required to wear sunglasses from kindergarten age, and the sunglass standards are extremely high.
Research has shown that people who work or remain in the sun for many hours tend to suffer more from cataract and retinal degeneration as a result of the sun exposure.