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AccuWeather's Bill Wadell explains the safety sunglasses provide for summer weather.
Transcript
00:00Don't forget your favorite pair of shades before you head out the door.
00:03Today is National Sunglasses Day.
00:07AccuWeather is a proud supporter of the Vision Council Foundation's mission
00:10to raise awareness about eye health and UV protection eyewear.
00:16AccuWeather's Bill Waddell has more on the mission to protect our eyes from the sun and the weather in New York City.
00:22Sunglasses are not just a summertime style statement.
00:25A good pair of shades can protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun
00:30and the harsh impacts from the weather all year long.
00:34UV rays are present even when it's overcast, even in the wintertime.
00:39As little as 100 seconds of direct sun exposure can result in permanent retinal damage.
00:46Yet 13% of adults report they never wear sunglasses.
00:50Ashley Mills and the Vision Council are on a mission to change that.
00:55UV is always there, and it can be really damaging to your vision health.
00:59It can cause conditions like cataracts and macular degeneration.
01:04The leading advocate for the optical industry says the risk grows the more time you spend outdoors without sunglasses.
01:11You're still being impacted, but you won't notice it maybe that day like you would with a sunburn.
01:16A lot of times the UV damage is cumulative, and you won't notice it until you go to an eye doctor later in your life,
01:24and you find out that you actually have a lot of sun damage to your eyes because you weren't protected earlier on.
01:29Ultraviolet rays can penetrate through clouds.
01:33Surfaces like water, sand, even snow can reflect UV rays,
01:38almost doubling the intensity of exposure to unprotected eyes.
01:42Think about your eyes as frequently as you're checking the weather.
01:46AccuWeather makes it easy to plan ahead and protect your eye health with the AccuLumen Brightness Index,
01:53available for free on the AccuWeather app and AccuWeather.com.
01:57It's a one-of-its-kind index with an easy way to characterize the brightness of the day.
02:03The AccuLumen Brightness Index is a tremendous tool that everyone should use
02:07because it empowers them with data to understand the elements outside
02:11and make great decisions about how to protect their vision health.
02:15Spending some time in the sun safely can be good for our health.
02:19UV exposure boosts vitamin D production and can even help reduce stress.
02:23Just like a good sunscreen for your skin, the experts say make sure your sunglasses have 100% UVA
02:29and UVB protection to help protect your eyes and preserve your vision.
02:35Reporting in New York City, for AccuWeather, I'm Bill Waddell.

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