Member Article

Too cool for school – Eye protecting sunglasses donation ahead of summer sunshine

Local school children in Leeds have been learning about protecting their eyes in the sun – thanks to a donation by George at Asda, the supermarket chain’s fashion brand.

The class at St. Anthony’s Catholic Primary School received a pair of sunglasses each after new research revealed that nationwide, only a quarter a children wear eye protection in the sunshine.

Lisa Leonard, headteacher at St. Anthony’s, said; “Given the beautiful sunny weather we’ve been having so far this summer, this donation of sunglasses came at the perfect time. We’re so grateful to Asda for stopping by and showing the children that sunglasses aren’t just to look cool, although they do enjoy that too.”

The donation is part of nationwide awareness raising campaign following new research by George at Asda, which revealed that across the UK, a very healthy 88% of parents make their children wear sunscreen to protect skin while they are outside in the sun – but only a not-so-healthy 26% of parents outfit their kids with sunglasses to protect their eyes.

A few carefree hours in the sun – without sunscreen – can wreak havoc on the tender skin of children; however, based on the survey many people are apparently unaware that the dangers of exposure to the sun posed to the eyes, without wearing sufficient protection in the form of sunglasses.

The study of more than 1,000 parents reveals that an impressive nine out of ten parents in the UK do make their children wear sunscreen to protect their skin from the sun, with only 2% saying they hardly ever or never do.

However, when it comes to eyes, only a quarter (26%) of parents makes their kids wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from the sun’s rays.

The research also reveals that when it comes to education and understanding around the dangers of the sun posed to the skin amongst parents, that Northern Ireland is top of the class with 92% of mums and dads claiming they are fully aware of the dangers posed by unprotected exposure to the sunshine to the skin.

However, for parents in the North of England – a region perhaps not known for being particularly sunny – this drops to 73%, with Scotland and the Midlands following near the bottom of the class at just 74% each.

More shocking perhaps is the lack of understanding around the dangers of the sun when it comes to the eyes – with Scotland again ranking bottom, with 81% of parents saying they don’t feel like they are very aware of the dangers of the sun posed to eyes.

Awareness in Wales (60%) and the South of England (65%) is slightly improved, but both still have a worryingly sizeable number of parents saying they don’t feel like they are very aware of the dangers of the sun posed to eyes

Jas Kaur, George’s sunglasses expert, says: “We all know and our research confirms, that Mums and dads are great at covering the kids in factor 50 sun creams as soon as there’s a hint of summer sun shine.

“But worryingly it seems that most parents don’t realise that sunglasses are just as important as suncream, because children’s eyes need the same protection and care from the sun as their skin does.

“You might think that because the area you live in sees less sunshine than other parts of the UK, but the same rules apply and extended unprotected exposure at home or abroad in childhood can cause damage to the eyes resulting in problems such as impaired vision or even blindness later in life – so making sure your kids wear sunglasses is really important.”

While the recent heatwave left us scrambling for our sunnies, can we be sure that the whole family’s sunglasses are up to scratch?

Jas Kaur, George’s sunglasses expert, offers her tops tips for parents when it comes to buying sunglasses for kids – to help you keep your children’s eyes safe during those summer bike rides, beach trips and barbecues:

Fun for the sun, but avoid toys

Toy sunglasses aren’t good enough. They lack UV-protection and are unlikely to have the required robustness to protect your child satisfactorily. However, they are plenty of cartoon character and fun themed options that offer real protection, so you can keep the kids happy and put your own mind at ease.

Spot the stickers

Sunglasses for children should block 99 to 100% of damaging UV radiation, so check they have a UV-Protection sticker and the all-important CE and British Standard marked labels.

Go dark

Lenses should also block about 75-90% of light. So, go for a dark tint (Cat. 3) for children to help block out excessive glare from the sun. It’s always better to have clarity of vision in very bright sunlight.

Check the fit

We’re all guilty of letting our little one’s ‘grow into things’ and while dad’s shades might look cute for a photo, sunglasses must be well fitted to provide good eye coverage and fit comfortably (or they won’t want to keep them on!). As a rule, sunglasses should line up with your brow, so pop a pair on your child and see how they measure up and see which they like best.

It’s a wrap

Block sideways rays. Make sure the sunglasses are big enough for your child’s head or have some kind of “wrap around” feature to help block rays coming in the sides of the frames. . A wraparound style may also be good for keeping out sand and allergens on those sunny beach and picnic days.

Set an Example

An obvious one, but we all know children look up to mums and dads, so make sure you wear your own sunglasses if you want your kids to do the same.

Don’t break the bank

Expensive designer sunnies might be all the rage for grown-ups; however, good quality, sunglasses that deliver on UV protection for children don’t need to cost a lot. And remember, kids will be kids… so good quality at a good price means you can get a couple of spare pairs just in case!

For more information on George’s kids sunglasses range visit your local George store or www.asdageorge.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Toby .