By Alison Harley
New Zealanders are being warned to change their habits to save their eyes from long-term damage.
Most people wear sunglasses to shut out the glare in the middle of the day, but new research suggests the sun may do the worst damage when most of us wouldn't think of protecting our eyes.
Heading into the summer sun, most Kiwis know the slip, slop, slap message to prevent skin damage, especially in the middle of the day. But when it comes to our eyes, the message about when to wear sunglasses isn't so clear.
Japanese researchers have now found the biggest risk to your eyes may actually be early and late in the day. That is because the sun is low in the sky and hitting straight into the eye lens.
And the effect of that damaging UV isn't always noticed. It is different from when you’re getting sunburned and you can feel it.
New Zealand optometrists say the ozone layer is thinner over New Zealand and Australia, which makes us more vulnerable to those damaging UV rays.
“Exposure to ultraviolet is a cumulative thing, so it starts right from early childhood,” says optometrist Andrew Sangster. “[With] exposure to the sun, your youth can come back to haunt you later in life. If we can get our children wearing sunglasses that's a very good thing.”
But while wearing glasses during any bright day is recommended, there's an obvious warning.
“It’s important not to wear your sunglasses once the sun has gone down,” says Mr Sangster.
That's because you may not see where you're going!
3 News