The Truth About Baby Sunglasses
As you may already know, UV rays can be extremely harmful to our body. They can cause premature ageing of the skin, they can weaken the immune system, and they can also cause eye problems.
These eye problems can be even worse in babies, with underdeveloped eyes that are still not accustomed to the world around them.
As such, it’s extremely important to protect our child’s eyes whenever we’re out in the sun, and to protect their eyes from the moment they are born.
Exposure to UV rays at such a young age can damage young eyes permanently due to the delicate tissues that make up the eye.
Baby sunglasses - it’s all about protection
Because the sun is so damaging to our babies eyes, it’s important to buy your baby a pair of quality baby sunglasses. It may seem like a fashionable trend, but there’s a lot more to sunglasses than making your child look cute.
Are my baby’s eyes at risk from the sun?
In a nutshell, yes.
Your baby’s eyes are at risk if they don’t wear premium, quality, polarised, UV-blocking sunglasses in the sun.
The cornea, lens and fluids in a baby’s eye are much clearer, meaning short-wavelength light (such as UV) has an easier time reaching the retina. This eventually leads to cataracts later in your baby’s life which decreases their vision. It also means they may grow up having trouble seeing lights, or develop blurry or double vision.
It’s estimated that around 70% of all sun exposure takes place before the age of 18. This is because our babies are still developing and need to be protected from things such as UV rays. Excessive exposure to sunlight can damage our child’s eyes and will likely contribute to eye-related conditions in the future. Proper UV protection from sunglasses will help to protect your baby and ensure their eyes won’t be damaged.
But I already own a pair of colourful sunglasses for my baby!
You’ll typically find cheap and fashionable sunglasses at retailers that also offer baby clothes. If you head to overseas online retailers such as wish.com, or browse ebay, you’ll find cute and colourful infant sunglasses for $3.
It can be tempting to pick up a pair or two because they look cute. We think they will protect our child’s eyes because they look similar to regular sunglasses.
Unfortunately, these sunglasses tend to offer little to no protection at all. Sunglasses must be rated to block out at least 99% or more of the sun’s UV rays to be effective. Otherwise, they’re just for show.
When looking for sunglasses for your baby, make sure they meet the following product compliance:
- EN ISO 12312-1
- AS/NZS 1067.1:2016
- CE (Conformité Européenne)
Sunglasses that meet these standards will protect your baby’s eyes from the sun’s UV rays. While they are more expensive than cheap fashionable sunglasses that you can buy in stores, it’s a small price to pay to protect your baby’s vision. 100% UV protection from the sun will give you peace of mind, and the designs will still allow your baby to express their individuality and look great in the sun.