Five Quick and Easy Ways to Protect Your Eyes from Sun Damage

April 10, 2019 by Carol S 1 Comment

We all want to protect our vision no matter what. Being visual creatures, our vision is critical to our wellbeing at all stages of our life. What if there were some easy ways to protect your eyes from sun damage, though? It turns out that there are! Here are some ideas for you.

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.

Why Not Use All the Space in Your Home?

December 19, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Why Not Use All the Space in Your Home?

Having natural light pouring in through your huge glass windows can be a beautiful thing if there’s no glare, but what about when there is? Do you have to pack up yourself, plus your dog and cat, too, every time the sun hits your windows at the wrong angle? We know a number of people who used to have to do that exact thing! And it’s really not very fun. But 3M’s Prestige Window Film can block 97% of infrared light for your comfort. Which is really much easier than having a pair of sunglasses near every single window.

Glare on Your Computer Screen

Are you hiding in your loft because the glare through the windows downstairs is simply too harsh? Or maybe you have strategically placed towels hanging over the windows at certain times of the day. That can happen anywhere from homes to businesses. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, space is really at a premium. It’s a shame to not be able to use every inch of your space, as we talked about in our previous article: How to Dramatically Cut Back Sun Glare: 10 Ways.

Glare When You’re Trying to Eat

If you’re squinting as you try to see your friend eat, it doesn’t make for good conversation. Without eliminating the glare, you’ll probably be too distracted to have a very good talk. Maybe you have to keep scootching your chairs around every few minutes so you can see each other–as well as your food. That’s also seriously annoying! If your eyes are already strained, you don’t need to be squinting when you should be relaxing.

Glare in Your Eyes

Maybe you’ve given up on trying to use any of the space near your windows at all. That would be a shame since you may have a beautiful view! Glare can cause headaches, sore muscles, and annoyance. And that indoor UV light can damage your furnishings as well as your skin. We’re getting a headache just thinking about the glare! Not to mention all the ways UV light can damage your skin when it enters through your windows.

Ready to Use All Your Space?

We’d love to help! Give us a call and we can help you find a perfect solution to your glare issues. One that doesn’t include squinting.

Residential Window Film Can Protect Your Family

July 29, 2015 by Window Works 2 Comments

You have the best health insurance, including dental and emergency coverage. You always use seat belts in the car. And you make sure that your kids look both ways before crossing the street. But did you know that ultraviolet (“UV”) light could be hurting your family? Yes, it’s true. Let us count the ways.

Premature Skin Aging

While the sun has positive benefits, UVA rays penetrate the atmosphere and can cause your beautiful skin to age prematurely. Excess radiation can cause damage at the DNA level and can lead to wrinkles, sun spots, and skin cancer. UV light can penetrate ordinary glass and cause it to multiply its negative effects. Fortunately, window film blocks the UVA light that enters your windows. This film blocks up to 99.9 percent of UV radiation and lets in up to 80 percent of visible light. For more information about UVA and UVB, see this excellent article from Skin Cancer.org.

Keep Your Family's Eyes Safe with Window Film — Keep Your Family’s Eyes Safe with Window Film

Eye Damage

The sun can cause damage to the eyes which accumulates in later life. Conditions such as macular degeneration and cataracts can be caused by too much solar radiation. At the beach, sunscreen and sunglasses, as well as a large hat, should be used. The American Optometric Association has guidelines for caring for your eyes. Luckily, window film will protect your family’s eyes in your own home by keeping UV radiation from entering your windows.

The sun can severely damage your furniture

Damage to Furniture

Fading, discoloration and fabric breakdown are three problems that can be easily preventable with window film. Even if your area is foggy, UV radiation can cause damage to your rugs and beautiful furniture, as outlined in this article from Houzz on how to prevent sun damage indoors. And by the way, if you have big windows, applying window film is not a DIY project–we recommend that you call in an expert. We are located in the San Francisco Bay Area if you need us.

Skin Cancer

Exposure to UV radiation puts you and your family at risk for skin cancer. The time of day, time of year, cloud cover, and altitude all change the strength of the UV rays. Outdoors, clothing and skin protection can help alleviate some risk. Indoors, much of this risk can be avoided by applying window film.

Children Are More Vulnerable

Severe sunburns as a child severely increase an individual’s risk for developing skin cancer. Children need to wear hats, sunscreen, and avoid the sun when it’s at its most harsh, between 10 am and 4 pm. Indoors, you can use window film to protect the little ones.

What's More Important Than Your Family's Health? — What’s More Important Than Your Family’s Health?

Protect Your Family

We’d love to talk to you about different types of window film for your home. We’re near the San Jose Airport, and travel up and down the San Francisco peninsula all the way up to San Francisco.