In April I published a blog post about a Maui Jim sunglasses event being run at Leightons, our opticians here in Wokingham. With the sun shining and the summer months stretching out infront of us I'd like to share the important information about protecting your eyes.
Open your eyes to a world ruled by the sun, sand and sea.
It’s a view you get used to.
It’s also a view worth protecting.
Here, your eyes need shielding from damage, fatigue and sensitivity
So you can take it all in.
And see things for the first time again.
Aloha, world.
I’ve got 3 pairs of Maui Jim sunglasses, one pair I always wear, one is in the drawer for when I can’t find the other pair and one pair that floats around the house. I wear them all the time as I can’t bear squinting and also I am big into eye care after I burnt myself badly when skiing years ago (before I found Maui Jim) and Big Welsh’s late sister had eye cancer. I’m not bothered about the crows feet or facial wrinkles, wearing sunglasses is a necessity.
Mike from Myddfai (who used to be an optician, now lives in Wales and knows the Wokingham staff – small world!) told me “I swear by Maui Jim and wear them all the time due to their 100% UV A, B and C protection and fantastic polarisation, they’re great for skiing and as a keen fly fisherman I would’t wear anything else“.
I wear mine whenever the sun shines – in the garden, driving, skiing, walking – whenever and there’s 5 good reasons to wear sunglasses – because you’re exposed to more sunlight than you think (taken from the Maui Jim promotional material)
1. UV Protection
The sun’s harmful UV rays can lead to serious and in some cases long-term health issues, including photokeratitis(sunburn on the eye’s surface, pterygium (growths on the eye), cataracts and macular degeneration. Sunglasses that do not provide UV protection can cause more damage by shading the eye – causing the pupil to dilate and allow in more harmful UV rays.
2. Skin Cancer
5% to 10% of skin cancer occurs around the eyes. Always wear quality, protective sunglasses when outdoors – whether working, driving, running, playing or watching sports.
3. General Eye Comfort
The sun’s brightness and glare interfere with comfortable vision and the ability to see clearly, causing squinting, eyes to water and possible headaches.
4. Dark Adaptation
Spending even a relatively short time in intense sunlight can hamper the eye’s ability to adapt quickly to night time or indoor light levels and make driving at night difficult and even hazardous.
5. Blue-light protection (HEV: high energy visible radiation)
Use outdoor lenses that absorb the HEV as accumulated exposure has been associated with AMD (age-related macular degeneration.
Wow, I certainly didn’t know all of that!
What I do know is I am very happy with my Maui Jim sunglasses. They are under warranty for two years from the date of purchase against any defect in the materials and workmanship. Nose pads and temples are free for the life of the frame. They’ll repair or replace (at their option) any pair of Maui Jims found to be defective – exclusive of damage caused by damage or improper or unreasonable use! And now I know that they offer an unequaled repair service with fast, three day turnaround for most repairs I am even happier!
So I’m smiling, not squinting and my eyes are protected. What about you?