Children's eyes are particular susceptible to sun damage

September 8, 2010

While many parents are likely aware that they must protect their children's skin from the sun, some may not know that kids' eyes are more sensitive to UV radiation than the eyes of adults. According to TheStar.com, it's essential that children wear sunglasses when spending prolonged periods in the sun.

"A child's eye lens is very clear as opposed to an adult's, which is yellowish and tinged," Dr Choong Yee Fong, a pediatric ophthalmologist told the news source. "The yellow tinge filters away a lot of the UV light so the amount of UV light that actually reaches the retina is much reduced. In children almost all the harmful rays go into the eyes and reach the retina which is the part that we are worried about."

The news source reports that though the damage from UV radiation may not be immediately apparent in children, too much exposure to the bright sunlight can cause damage down the road.

The American Optometric Association suggests that people purchase sunglasses that screen out 99 to 100 percent of all UV radiation, and that school-aged children visit the eye doctor at least once every two years.