Sunglasses are also important in winter.
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Even in winter you should protect your eyes against the harmful rays of the sun. Our expert reveals why in an interview.
On burning summer days, the sunglasses almost never leave their place on the nose. But she should also be your constant companion in winter. Katja Meyer, optician and press officer at Fielmann, explains in an interview which people are particularly sensitive to solar radiation and why sun protection is so important for the eyes in winter.
20 minutes of lifestyle: sunglasses are an integral part of summer. How does it look in winter?
Katja Meyer: To protect the eyes from UV radiation, sunglasses should also be worn on sunny days in winter. This is especially true for children, the elderly, people with light eyes as well as drivers and skiers.
Why are these groups of people particularly at risk?
As you get older you become more sensitive to light because the color pigments in your eyes decrease. Children’s eyes are even more sensitive and more translucent than those of adults, as the natural self-protection provided by the eye pigments only develops with increasing age.
And what about the light color of the eyes?
People with blue or green eyes generally tend to be more sensitive to light than people with darker eyes. This is because a light eye color has fewer pigments in the eye and more sunlight can get into the eye as a result.
Is it really the case that the reflection of the sun in the snow is particularly bad for the eyes?
Since the snow reflects the sun and UV radiation, it can cause sunburn-like injuries to the eyes. Snow as well as water double the dose of UV light due to the reflection, because the radiation as well as the visible light are reflected by the snow up to 95 percent. Reflections on the water, on the sandy beach or as a reflection on light-colored paper when reading outdoors can also increase exposure by up to 70 percent.
When do sunglasses really protect against harmful UV rays?
Caution – a dark lens alone does not protect against UV rays. Transparent plastic glasses can also have almost 100% UV protection – the only thing missing here is the glare protection, which is only created by the tinting of the glass. If you travel to the south, you should choose sunglasses lenses with higher UV-400 protection, which provide even better protection against harmful rays.
What else is important?
In addition to guaranteed UV protection, you should also pay attention to the correct filter category when buying sunglasses. The filter category describes the intensity of the tint of the lens.
The filter category describes the tint or the transparency of sunglasses. Basically, the brighter the environment, the higher the filter category of your glasses should be.
Fielmann
Which seal does every pair of sunglasses have to have?
Basically, glasses are okay if they have the CE seal on the inside of the temple. This proves that the sunglasses comply with EU regulations. But be careful here too, because the CE mark can easily be forged. It is therefore advisable to play it safe in case of doubt and have the glasses checked for their protective function by an optician.
What is it like skiing: Do ski goggles have to be closed all around?
When skiing, you are often exposed to different weather conditions. The ski goggles must therefore fit snugly on the head in order to protect against both blowing snow and sunlight. For this reason, it is equipped with a pad on the inside so that it is flush with the face. This also prevents the glasses from fogging up.
Do the lenses of the ski goggles have to be tinted?
The eye strain is many times higher in winter areas because snow reflects the sun’s rays. Polarized lenses are recommended for winter sports, as they minimize annoying glare from snow.
Which lens color is suitable for which situation?
For skiing and snowboarding in the sunshine, it is best to choose dark brown or dark gray lenses of filter category 3. If you are out and about in cloudy weather, your ski goggles should ideally have yellow or orange lenses that increase the perception of contrast. Blue glasses are especially suitable for changeable days. Nowadays, good ski goggles have a double lens so that the lenses don’t fog up too quickly in the cold. It also protects against falls, as only the outer glass breaks.
There are ski and sunglasses that reliably protect your eyes:
Goes well with round and oval faces made of acetate with a particularly high cellulose content, which makes the glasses very light: Sunglasses The Rational, Fr. 175.– from VIU
VIU
Brings a bit of color into winter and protects your eyes from the sun: Fielmann OU 017 SUN, Fr.57.50 from Fielmann
Fielmann
These glasses are only available in limited editions. It was designed by the Swiss model Tamy Glauser: Sunglasses Abundancy – Tamy, Fr. 449.– from Sol Sol Ito
Sol Sol Ito
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