Nothing burns brighter than the sun. But how many of us had still tried to stare directly at the sun when we were kids and failed to do so? You must be wondering if there is some hack that allows the human eye to look at the sun.
You are misguided if you think sunglasses are the key to looking at the sun. We cannot look directly at the sun even with sunglasses because even though the glasses might offer some shielding and allow you to stare in the direction for longer, they do not offer protection against the sun’s harmful UV rays. Looking at the sun, even with sunglasses, can cause severe damage to the eyes.
Some sunglasses, such as polarised UV protection sunglasses, are safer to use, but even with them, some damage still occurs.
If you are curious about why that is the case and what you can do to protect yourself from the sun, keep reading this article.
Why Are The Sun’s Rays Harmful To Our Eyes?
The sun emits very powerful ultraviolet radiation that can cause significant damage to the eyes and skin. The rays are more harmful when we look directly at the sun, but the damage can be caused even by the sun’s rays reflected into our eyes from different surfaces like mirrors or water.
For more on this, watch the video below
How Do UV Rays Damage The Eyes?
The UV rays from the sun are absorbed by the cornea. They can lead to the development of a cataract or macular degeneration. Long-term exposure can also cause tissue elevation and result in conditions like pingueculae and pterygia. Too much exposure can eventually result in blindness.
Why Do Sunglasses Not Work?
Sunglasses don’t work because the material is not strong enough to protect your eyes from the intense infrared and UV radiation of the sun. Chances are that the radiation will still pass through the glasses, and if you are looking directly at the sun, there is a high risk of damage that still exists.
What Can You Do To Protect Your Eyes From The Sun
To protect your eyes from the sun, it is best to avoid looking at the sun directly under all conditions, even during an eclipse. If you still wish to find ways to look at the sun directly, the damage can only be reduced and not completely mitigated.
Making use of UV protection sunglasses can reduce the damage your eyes experience. The higher the UV protection, the better. It is best to get sunglasses that are labelled UV 400 because they can block out 400 nanometers of wavelength. It is also best to seek glasses that protect you against both UVA and UVB radiation.
If this is something you cannot afford then maybe using dark films or multiple layers of sunglasses can help, but ultimately some damage will still occur.
In Conclusion
The sun is extremely powerful and the rays it radiates are also very powerful. Sunglasses can merely mitigate the harmful impacts of the sun’s rays in your eyes. They cannot erase the damage. Too much exposure to sun can result in a number of complications and even blindness.
