Sunglasses definitely make you look cool, but there’s a more important reason to wear them. Just as we protect our skin from sun damage, we have to protect our eyes. UV radiation causes cataracts, and other problems with the surface of the eye, and possibly even the retina.
If you live in the mountains, it is even more critical. That’s because the amount of UV radiation that your eyes are exposed to increases by 4% for every 1000 feet above sea level. So if you drive to Lake Tahoe, you have 24% more UV than in Sacramento . This adds up. When the sun is at its peak, there is maximum UV radiation in the environment, but when the sun dips down, there is more reflection of UV into your eyes.
All this UV is certainly bad for our eyes, and can cause vision problems, but it can also cause squinting, and perhaps the most dreaded side effect of all–wrinkles.
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