Your sunglasses do more than make a statement about you, they help to protect your eyes and the skin around your eyes from the harmful damage caused by the sun. In addition to sunscreen, protective clothing and a hat, sunglasses with 100 percent ultraviolet (UV) lenses are an essential tool that you and your family need to use to minimize sun damage.

Staying focused

A recent Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA) survey on sun-protection habits revealed that 71 percent of Canadians reported wearing sunglasses with UV-protection lenses when outdoors all year. The same number of respondents stated they use sunscreen.

Although many Canadians incorporate sun protection into their daily lives, the survey reveals that there is still an opportunity to educate Canadians about protecting themselves from sun damage. To raise awareness about the importance of protecting not only your skin but also your eyes when outdoors, the CDA partnered with the Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS) and created The Sunglasses Project, launching on June 7, as part of CDA’s Sun Awareness Week.

Skin, especially around the eye area, is not only susceptible to photoaging and wrinkling but also to skin cancers like basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Like your skin, eyes are susceptible to UV rays that are present all year and need to be protected.