Why you should invest in good sunglasses for your child or baby, we tell you in this article!

Eye protection

Just as we protect children's and babies' skin from the sun with sunscreen, we must also protect their eyes from ultraviolet (UV) rays. At a young age, eyes are still developing and the lens of the eye lets harmful UV rays pass through to the retina. What's more, babies do not have the reflex to close their eyes in bright light, which is why they must be protected at all costs. Without good sunglasses with full UV400 protection, injuries such as keratitis or corneal burns can occur. The most visible symptoms are redness, pain or photophobia. In the long term, exposure to ultraviolet rays can lead to serious pathologies such as macular degeneration (AMD) or cataracts. It should be borne in mind that maturity is not reached until the age of 25, so sunglasses with a 100% sun filter are essential.

What we should look for before buying sunglasses is that they have UV400 protection, which is the maximum protection available. All Kiddus sunglasses have UV400 protection.

Category 3 or 4 ? what does that mean?

It has nothing to do with UV protection. The category refers to the opacity, i.e. the amount of light the lens lets through. If you choose low categories (0 to 2), it is easy to be dazzled on sunny days. The most common category is 3, which is suitable for high light conditions, i.e. those that we might encounter on a sunny day. In extreme conditions such as those found in high mountains or at the beach and the sea, category 4 is more advisable as it reduces the amount of light reaching our eyes by more than 90%.

 

At Kiddus we mostly use category 3 as it is the most common and the one used in more than 90% of sunglasses for children and adults. We only use category 4 with our BABY PREMIUM sunglasses. They are suitable for the snow, the sea or in cases of photosensitivity.

Polarized? Yes or no?

A polarised lens is used to mitigate glare and reflections produced by the sun's rays on the sea, snow and also on surfaces such as glass, metal or other surfaces that may have a mirror effect.

Not to be confused with sunscreen. We have already said that sunscreen is what blocks ultraviolet UV rays, which are the ones we must protect ourselves from. This is essential. It should be clear that a non-polarised lens with UV400 protection protects us perfectly well from the harmful effects of UV radiation.
Polarised lenses, on the other hand, can provide more comfort in certain situations because they prevent glare. They also reduce eyestrain, increase contrast and make colours more vivid.

 

 

Conclusion

It is essential for sunglasses to have UV400 sunscreen. A brightness reduction level of Category 3 should be sufficient in most cases. Whether they are polarised or not depends on the intended use.