Posts Tagged ‘UV protection’
Posted on June 29th, 2010 by Lisa P.
Independence Day, Fourth of July, is right around the corner and that means picnics, BBQ’s, outdoor activities and most importantly, fireworks! We want to make sure you see them bright and clear so we encourage you to wear sunglasses throughout the day. Lets face it, shades look cool, but did you know they are essential to eye health?
VSP doctor
Stephen Cohen from Scottsdale, Arizona says ”there’s increasing evidence that
ultraviolet rays in sunlight can significantly increase your risk of developing
cataracts and
macular degeneration. Because both conditions can threaten healthy vision, I recommend wearing sunglasses on sunny days year-round. Plus, you’ll experience better night vision when you wear sunglasses on sunny days.”
This is a plus for the fireworks show!
Here are some tips to picking out the right shades to protect your eyes.
Tommy Bahama Aviator
- Labels: Make sure they carry a consumer-protection label stating they’re 99-100% UV-absorbent, or provide UV absorption up to 400 nanometers (nm).
- Go big or wrap it: Bigger frames and lenses, and also wrap-around styles, give you more UV protection because they block peripheral rays. Also, this is the trend this season!
- Go polar: Polarized lenses block out sunlight glare bouncing off windshields, pavement, and other smooth surfaces.
- Consider color: Gray lenses are best. Why? They don’t change colors. Green and brown lenses are good too.
Often times, store-bought fireworks can emit smoke. Here are some tips for smokey-eyes:
- Rinse your eyes with clean water regularly; at least once a day or more often if they burn or itch.
- Try not to rub your eyes, since you might transfer dust and ash from your hands or face to your eyes that could scratch or irritate them. Wash your hands regularly, especially if you wear contact lenses.
- Use lubricating eye drops or artificial tears to keep your eyes refreshed and help get rid of dust and particles that can irritate eyes.
We hope you have a fun and safe Fourth of July this year!
File under: Eye Safety, Frames & Lenses, eye health, fashion | Tagged: cataracts, eye health, fireworks, Fourth of July, Independence Day, july 4, macular degeneration, smoke eyes, smokey eyes, Stephen Cohen, sunglasses, ultraviolet rays, UV protection, UV Rays, VSP, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on March 21st, 2010 by Jill N
Jill N. is a member of VSP's Corporate Public Relations team.
The winner of our Facebook Sweepstakes made it to Florida Friday afternoon to the Transitions PGA Championship with his wife, brother-in-law and sister-in-law. Whil PGA player John Mallinger wasn’t able to make it to the tournament last minute, our back up plan did work well with an introduction to non-other than Erik Estrada, that’s right, Ponch himself. That’s a fair trade right?
After a good night sleep, Dave and guests joined us at the Transitions/VSP/Nike Competitive Advantage Tent to receive a private swing consultation with Kinesiologist, Tyler, walk through the newest lens and frame technology from Nike and Transitions and learn about the importance of annual eye exams and eye health through a putting excercise wearing glasses that simulated different eye conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and glaucoma.
Erik Estrada hanging with Dave W.
Next, we walked next door and took a tour of our newest mobile eye clinic (yet to be named!) and recorded a video on the video kiosk showing their squinty faces when they are caught outdoors in bright light. Last stop was the Live Your Vision Pavillion where they experienced Optomate technology and watched the Transitions/VSP/Nike fashion show before sneaking onto Ponch’s tricked out CHP car for a quick photo.
Stay tuned for some videos of Dave’s experience and updates from Sunday, including Erik Estrada’s explanation of the “Sightations” he has been giving out all weekend.
File under: Contests, Fun | Tagged: eye exams, eyeglasses, eyewear, facebook, Florida, frame, sunglasses, sunwear, UV protection, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on February 23rd, 2010 by Liz B.
Joel Kestenbaum O.D. is a VSP provider in Long Island, NY.
In today’s guest blog post from Dr. Joel Kestenbaum of Optix Eyecare in Long Island, NY, he discusses protective eyewear and winter sports …
The 2010 Winter Olympics are upon us. Lets take a look at the common attributes most Winter Olympians have:
- Athletic ability
- Drive and determination
- Support of family and friends
- Excellent vision
If you look at all the skiers, snowboarders, speed skaters, lugers and bobsledders, they are all wearing some sort of protective eyewear. How do they know which lenses to wear? What if it is cloudy, sunny, snowing, sleeting, raining, foggy, nighttime, or early morning?
Think Safety First
You can be certain that the lenses in an athlete’s goggles are made of polycarbonate. For fast-moving winter sports, this material is much more impact-resistant than glass or conventional plastic. The frame also needs to be lightweight and flexible reducing the likelihood of the lens breaking or popping out in a bad fall. Prescription lenses can be made for inserts that sit behind the shield of the goggle or some goggles are actually made to wear over a regular pair of eyeglasses.
Think Visual Efficiency Next
Black, gray, or smoke lenses
Best for bright conditions – they dim the bright sunlight to ease the strain on your eyes. Depending on the intensity of the tint, these lenses do darken your vision but gray does not alter color. These lenses are best for wide-open areas, especially on sunny days. One should not ski or snowboard in trees or trails with dark lenses.
Amber Lenses
Amber is a color in between a light brown and a dark yellow lens. Amber blocks blue light, greatly increases contrast. This color is a good choice for seeing moguls out on the slopes. Amber is best for under cloudy skies or on dimly lit trails but is not recommended for sunny days.
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File under: Uncategorized | Tagged: 2010 Winter Olympics, amber lenses, clear lenses, Dr. Joel Kestenbaum, eye exams, eyecare, eyewear, glare, gray lenses, interchangable lenses, lenses for different weather conditions, Nike, protective eyewear, red lenses, sunglasses, sunwear, UV protection, Vancouver, vision, Winter Olympics, winter sports, yellow lenses
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Posted on February 3rd, 2010 by Liz B.
Learn more about the importance of wearing sunglasses – even on cloudy, overcast days – on VSP’s Eyecare Discovery Center and The Vision Council’s Under the Sun Guide.
File under: Eye Safety, eye health | Tagged: cataracts, Eye, Eye Safety, healthy eyes, public service message, skin cancer, sunglasses, ultraviolet sunlight, UV, UV protection, Vision Council
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Posted on January 27th, 2010 by Melissa W.
What we call a “rainbow” is the spectrum of light energy from the sun that we can see. At each end of this visible light are other forms of invisible energy— from radio waves to x-rays. Some of this energy is in the form of ultraviolet waves, or UV. UV is not normally visible, but you might have seen its purplish glow from a special “black light” bulb that makes things glow in the dark.
While we can’t see ultraviolet radiation, it can see—and harm—us if we are not careful. Even on an overcast day, UV light from the sun can cause sunburn of our skin and the cornea of our eyes, which is called “photokeratitis.” Over a long time, it can increase your chance of cataracts (a clouding of the lens of the eye) and damage to your retina that might lead to total blindness.
Team Type 1's Kori Seehafer wearing Nike sunglasses.
Sunscreen protects your skin from overexposure to UV rays. Proper lenses can safely block UV radiation and protect your eyes.
Be Glare Aware!
Glare, or extreme brightness, can be distracting and even dangerous. The direct rays of the sun are the most powerful source of glare and UV radiation, but glare can also be reflected off roads, buildings, water, and snow. Special “polarized” lenses reduce or eliminate glare and reflections. They work by selectively absorbing the reflected glare while transmitting useful light from the scene.
Source: eyedidntknowthat.com
File under: Get Fit, Team Type 1 | Tagged: Team Type 1, UV protection, wellness
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Posted on October 14th, 2009 by Sara J
Sara P. is a member of Altair's sales team.
I’ve recently developed an addiction to sunwear. I’ve got a full rainbow spectrum to choose from and I have no intention of slowing down. It’s a recent obsession so I’m only at 8 pairs but the rate at which I’ve acquired them is getting a bit scary.
I have gone through accessory addictions in the past (shoes, purses, one weird phase of collecting argyle socks) but this one is turning into a dangerous one for me because a) I work in the industry so am constantly being exposed to the latest and greatest and b) I can make the argument that it’s actually for my own good: “Hellooo, the lenses are polarized, which means UV protection, which means I’m protecting my eyes…what, you don’t think my precious eyes need protection?!”
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File under: Fun, Technology | Tagged: sunglasses, sunwear, sunwear technology, UV protection
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Posted on October 13th, 2009 by Liz B.
Liz B. is a member of VSP's Corporate Public Relations team.
Dear Readers:
Thank you for your support and comments to the VSP Blog! In appreciation and to help bring attention to the importance of vision health and of protecting your eyes all year round (see UV Protection – Protect Your Eyes), we’re giving a way a pair of Nike sunglasses on Twitter to one winner. It’s super easy to enter:
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File under: Contests, Fun, VSP Blog News, eye health | Tagged: contests and giveaways, eyecare, Nike Sunglasses, twitter, UV protection
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Posted on August 31st, 2009 by Liz B.
Parker, from the Coach Eyewear Collection
Popular lifestyle blog BlissTree is conducting a giveway contest featuring the latest Coach sunglasses! Six winners will be selected and entry is simple. Visit the BlissTree VSP Vision Care Coach Giveaway for all the details.
File under: Frames & Lenses, Fun | Tagged: Coach, contest, frame, lenses, see much more, sunglasses, sunwear, UV protection, vsp blog
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Posted on August 24th, 2009 by Sara J
Sara P. is an account executive for Altair Eyewear.
Everyone here is talking about the new VSP site seemuchmore.com. I’ve spent a great deal of time on there clicking every moving object, answering poll questions, and cruising around making sure I haven’t missed a single image, quote or fact. My favorite graphic is the hot air balloon with the money that drops down, because after all, who doesn’t want money dropping from the sky? I decided chronicling my journeys on the site would be a good way to highlight just a few of the things that caught my attention. And, maybe, inspire YOU to check it out too!
August 18, 2009: First look at seemuchmore.com. I was immediately intrigued by the color scheme, graphics and the concept behind the site. I watched the dad and son graphic for a few minutes, then clicked into the site. The plane image with the “See Eye Care Tips” banner was practically screaming to be clicked first, so I succumbed and my attention was immediately caught by the tip that popped up: “Wear sunglasses when exercising outdoors to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays.”
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File under: Frames & Lenses, Fun, Uncategorized | Tagged: eyecare, Harry Potter glasses, open enrollment, seemuchmore, sunwear, UV protection, vision benefit enrollment, vision benefits, VSP Vision Care
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