Summer time is right around the corner in Holly Springs. it’s the best time of the year to head outside and soak in some of the UV rays! But before you head to the baseball games and the golf course we want to educate you a bit on the benefits and harmful effects of these natural UV rays.
UV rays you ask? What does that mean? Well from what we remember of physics class back in the high school days, these rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun that have a wavelength slightly lower than that of light. So what that means is that you can’t really see them but they are soaking into your body.
The sun emits UVA, UVB, and UVC rays which all have their own unique wavelength ranges. UVA waves are the most prominent during the morning and afternoon and can penetrate normal window glass. These are considered to be the more dangerous of the rays. UVB rays are the strongest in the late morning and early afternoon. Fortunately, they don’t have the ability to penetrate most normal windows. Nobody can quite figure out the UVC rays so we will skip over those in this post!
These little invisible rays do have some benefits including:
- Improves mood
- Protection from certain types of cancers
- Strengthening bones and muscles
- Strengthening immune system
- Treating skin conditions like psoriasis
- Getting a tan!
Unfortunately, too much of any good thing can have harmful effects including:
- Damage of your eyes (lens, retina, and cornea)
- Wrinkling
- Skin damage
- Skin cancer
- Premature aging
So what’s the takeaway? Like anything, it’s all about moderation and protecting yourself as much as possible. It’s important to wear some sunscreen, protect your eyes with sunglasses, and make sure that you aren’t out in the intense rays for too long!
We at Holly Springs Eye Associates are here to help. we provide both standard and prescription sunglasses and polarized lenses. Our optical center has a wide selection of frame styles that fit your budget and needs with brands like: Silhouette, Maui Jim, Oakley, Kate Spade, Click, Pez, Ray Ban, Gucci, D&G, and Banana Republic. They are always very helpful in getting you fitted for a pair of great glasses and making sure that you are well taken care of after you get in your pair of shades. So grab yourself a great pair of sunglasses that look great and protect your eyes and go soak up the sun!