sun damage

Hats off to Big Hats

One of the easiest ways to protect your eyes from sun damage is with a large-brimmed hat. Of course, any hat is better than no hat at all, but size does matter in terms of brim size: the bigger the better! There are now many hats that will provide protection, and kids in particular really need protection. Here’s one hat you can get from Amazon (just do a search for others).

Sunscreen

How much sunscreen do you need to protect your eyes against sun damage? Figure about an ounce (or a shot glass full of sunscreen) for your whole body. Yes, it seems like a lot, but once it absorbs into your skin, that’s the recommended amount. “It is very unlikely that you’re applying too much sunscreen — most people don’t apply enough, which is why undesirable sunburns and tanning can occur despite sunscreen application.” says Elizabeth K. Hale, of the Skin Cancer Foundation. Also, “most sunscreen is safe to use on and around the eyelid region (without putting it in your eye, of course). However, you’ll want to be careful about what type of sunscreen you use, as this area tends to be more delicate and sensitive. Mineral formulas, made with zinc or titanium dioxide, are a good choice, as they are made for sensitive skin and won’t sting your eyes as you sweat.” says Susan Boiko, M.D.

Big Hats and Giant Sunglasses Protect Your Eyes

Avoid the Sun at Peak Hours

The hours between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. are when the sun is at its strongest. So an obvious way to protect your eyes from sun damage and avoid skin cancer is to avoid the damaging rays of the sun during those hours. The American Cancer Society suggests using the shadow test if you’re unsure whether the sun’s rays are at their strongest: “If you are unsure how strong the sun’s rays are, use the shadow test: if your shadow is shorter than you are, the sun’s rays are the strongest, and it’s important to protect yourself.”

Giant Sunglasses

Like big hats, big sunglasses tend to protect your eyes from sun damage the best. There are so many fashion-forward sunglasses that you don’t need to worry about looking silly. However, the National Academy of Ophthalmology suggests choosing sunglasses that protect against 100% of UV light. The color of the lenses doesn’t matter, so if those orange or pink glasses suit your fancy, get them–so long as they give you protection from UV rays.

Window Film

Window film is one of the easiest ways to protect your eyes from sun damage UV because once it’s installed, you don’t have to think about it. And once it’s on your windows, you won’t even know it’s there. In case you’re unfamiliar with window film, you might like: Five Amazing Ways Window Film Can Make You Healthier.

Sun Damage: What Things Can Be Harmed in Your Home and How to Stop it

You’ve probably heard before that the sun can harm your skin, especially since skin cancer rates have been going through the roof over the past few years. In case you haven’t heard, a Shrewd, Invisible Enemy is Stealing Your Greatest Asset! And did you know that the sun’s rays can also damage your belongings? Well, it’s true!

Rugs

Of course, you can use drapes or awnings to cover the windows, but if you want a view plus the beauty of your rugs, that might not be the best way to go. You could move the rug into a room with less sun, but then your lovely wood floors would be at risk.

Wood Floors

Speaking of wood floors, they are very much in vogue at the moment. But the sun can cause discoloration and make the wood brittle. You could move your furniture around occasionally, as this article about Sunlight and Fading Hardwood Floors mentions, but do you want to go to the trouble of adding another item to your already-busy calendar?

Furniture

Your gorgeous leather couch, Swedish recliner, and Japanese tansu would look a lot better if they weren’t faded by the sun. But the sun’s rays can fade all your furniture! And the parts closer to the windows will have more sun damage than the parts away from the sun.

Paintings

Many museums have windowless rooms so that the colors of their paintings and other artwork don’t fade. But surely you don’t want to live in a place without windows! Yet sculptures and all other art can suffer under the sun’s damaging rays. One way to preserve your artwork if it’s in direct sun is to cover paintings with preservation glass, as this article: Protecting your Artwork from Sunlight outlines.

Window Coverings

Ironically, your window coverings can be harmed by the sun’s rays, too. Discoloration can affect draperies as well as wooden shutters.

Plastic and Raw Wood

Plastic and raw wood can also be impacted by the sun’s rays (outside the home as well as inside), as detailed in this post by Houzz: What You Must Know About the Sun and Your Home. The comments are also interesting.

Window Film Can Help

Window film can prevent much of the sun damage from the sun’s powerful UV rays. As Dressing the Home, an interior decorator from Louisville, Kentucky comments on the above Houzz article:

“3M Prestige Series window film is an excellent solution for limiting the damaging effects of sunlight in your home. It is available in clear optical film that uses nanotechnology to reduce U.V. by 99.9%, heat by 60% and infrared light by 97%. This will save your furnishings and finishes from fading and other damage, as well as save on energy costs.”

And of course we were thrilled to read the above comment from an interior decorator, since we recommend window film to our clients!

We’d Love to Talk to You!

Have questions about window film? We’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, and would love to help with your project.