Sunglasses. . .More Than a Pretty Accessory for You AND Your Kids {sponsored}

This is a sponsored post on behalf of The Motherhood and The Vision Council. As always, all opinions are my very own.

Do you  wear sunglasses? Do your kids?

When I was younger, sunglasses were an accessory for me - different colors to match different outfits. As I aged, and found I needed to wear glasses for long distance (driving and TV watching), my sunglasses became more necessary and I was reduced to one pair of chic and fashionable prescription sunglasses. But I will say this - I am almost ALWAYS wearing them outside - spring, summer, winter, fall . . . I never leave home without them.

I always tried to get my kids into the sunglasses habit. . .but it was HARD. They would pull them off, leave them behind or break the arm off.

But after attending a recent webinar with The Vision Council about UV Damage to your eyes, I am on a mission to get the kids to wear their sunglasses. When worn correctly, sunglasses absorb UV radiation and prevent it from reaching the most vital parts of the eye.  Something else I learned, is that UV damage is cumulative, which means daily sun exposure adds up over time. So the earlier you start to protect yours and your kid's vision, the better!

If you are planning to spend your summer at the pool, know that water reflects up to 100% of UV light . . .so sunglasses and even goggles with UV protection are a MUST.

And don't worry that you have to buy pricey sunglasses to get protection. Sunglasses can be purchased at a variety of locations from drug stores to eyewear retailers to outlets and wholesale stores. You can even buy sunglasses online. You should steer clear of sunglasses sold by street vendors, online auction sites and second-hand stores though.

You can get daily UV index levels at The Vision Council's website, www.missingsunglasses.com and here is a great infographic from The Vision Council with Safety Facts to protect your eyes from the sun.

So whatever your style, be sure to grab a pair of sunglasses for you AND your family on your way out the door. These days there are so many styles to choose from, everyone is sure to find a pair they love, and it's never too late (or too early) to start protecting your vision.

catch you soon -