Two weeks touring Scotland in glorious sunshine might sound far-fetched, but that’s what I’ve been doing for the past couple of weeks. On our travels, I noticed an almost scant disregard for protecting children’s eyes with sunglasses.
As we moved from one location to another, children wearing sunglasses became a rare sight. Instead, baseball caps and bucket hats were the order of the day. These are, of course, fine to an extent, but they don’t remain on the heads of young children for very long, be it due to high jinks or a stiff Scottish breeze.
Protecting a child’s skin has been higher up the health messaging agenda for many years, but the importance of eye protection seems to be missing the mark. As a sector, we’re all too familiar with statistics like 80% of UV damage happening before a child reaches the age of 18 and the increased risk of damage as their eyes let in 70% more light compared to adults. Sadly, parents don’t always have the same appreciation or awareness.
It’s not for lack of trying on the part of the sector, either, as there have been countless initiatives to highlight the importance of protecting young eyes, which the American Academy of Ophthalmology says should start at six months of age.
So, what’s causing the disconnect? Could it be cost? Possibly, but sunglasses that claim to have 100% UV protection and carry a CE mark can be had for £2.
Admittedly, sunglasses for babies tend to be a little more expensive due to wrap designs and the addition of straps. Could it be that parents find it difficult to get their children to keep sunglasses on? Maybe, but children seem quite tolerant of hats and the like.
It feels like the health message isn’t resonating with parents for some reason. With parents becoming more aware of long-term complications relating to myopia, it shows that consistent messaging raises awareness. With concerted effort, maybe the sector can do the same for the long-term impact of UV light.
