Vision Council research highlights lack of UV awareness

A new report from the Vision Council in the US has highlighted a lack of awareness as to the dangers of prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays.

The report, titled Picture This: A Lifetime of UV Eye Protection, found that 46 per cent of over 10,000 Americans surveyed only wore sunglasses when it was sunny outside, therefore exposing their eyes to UV rays still present on partially cloudy and cloudy days. The number of respondents who said they rarely or never wore sunglasses outside was 27 per cent. The same percentage stated that they always wore sunglasses outside. Of the respondents wearing sunglasses when interviewed, 35 per cent did not know if their eyewear provided UV protection and 10 per cent believed they did not offer any protection at all.