Travel is a wonderful experience, but after booking your flights and packing your bags, there is something that people overlook; the health of your eyes. It’s important to protect your eyes from harmful Ultraviolet (UV) ray.
Here are a few misconceptions when it comes to the health of your eyes.
Myth #1 – Any pair of Sunglasses Will Offer UV Protection
You may believe packing a pair of sunglasses will protect your eyes, but this isn’t always the case. Not all sunglasses provide UV protection.
Check to see if your sunglasses have the European Union CE mark to show the sunglasses offer UV protection.
Myth #2 – Dark Tinted Sunglasses Equals UV Protection
Many people believe darker tinted sunglasses equals better UV protection than lighter tinted sunglasses. That’s not necessarily so.
A pair of dark tinted sunglasses might not have any UV protection.
A darker tinted sunglasses will let through less light compared to a lighter tinted sunglasses, but this doesn’t equal better UV protection.
Myth #3 – Car Windows Offer UV Protection
Whether it’s your vehicle or you’re looking to rent a car on your holidays, not all car windows provide protection.
Similarly to sunglasses, a tinted window doesn’t mean better UV protection compared to a non-tinted window.
Be sure to wear UV protecting sunglasses when you’re inside a vehicle, and when you get outside.
Myth #4 – You Don’t Need UV Protection on Cloudy Days
UV rays only go down by 10% during cloud coverage, which means a cloudy day isn’t an excuse to neglect to protect your eyes.
Even if you’re in London on a cloudy, rainy day make sure you’re wearing the proper sunglasses.
Myth #5 – You Only Need Sun Protection on Beach Vacations
It is true that UV rays are harsher closest to the equator. However; that doesn’t mean you can just forget about UV eye protection if you decide to take a vacation in Sweden.
No matter where you are in the world UV protection for your is always required.
Myth #6 – Sun Damage is Only Prevalent in the Summer
While the weather might be hotter in the summer the risk of UV damage doesn’t diminish in other seasons. For example in the UK sun exposure is the same throughout the year.
Proper eye protection from UV rays is required year round.
Myth #7 – UV Damage Can Be Reversed
The sad truth is that UV damage to your eyes is permanent. This is one of the reasons why it’s so important to protect your eyes with UV blocking sunglasses.
This way you’ll continue to enjoy seeing all the beautiful places you visit when you travel.
________
This story was published in partnership with Vision Direct.
Alouise Dittrick is a freelance writer and travel blogger from Edmonton, Canada. She is currently living in Dublin, Ireland and writes about travel and performing arts on her blog Take Me to the World.
Planning a trip? Go Backpacking recommends:
- G Adventures for small group tours.
- World Nomads for travel insurance.
- Hostelworld for booking hostels.
- Rail Europe for train passes.
