Parents, do your children need sunglasses?

It's summertime again and much attention is given to the necessity of protecting children's skin from the damage of harmful UV rays. But parents should be mindful of guarding their children's eyes from the sun's rays as well. May has been designated as UV awareness month and Prevent Blindness America is cautioning parents that children are especially susceptible to harmful ultraviolet A and B damage. There are a couple of factors for this recommendation:

• Children typically spend more time outdoors
• The lenses of children's eyes are more transparent than those of adults. This transparency risks retinal exposure to short wavelength light.

Children and adults alike should wear sunglasses that block out 99 - 100 percent of both UVA and UVB radiation. Parents should make sure that the sunglasses fit their child's face properly and that they block out the sun's rays from every direction. Andrea Schumann Staff Writer