Protecting Your Kids’ Eyes Outdoors: How to Pick the Best Sunglasses for the Job

Physical activities are crucial for the holistic development of your children. Our post ‘Beyond The Screen’ underscores its benefits for building their muscle strength, creativity, and emotional intelligence. And, more often than not, the best and most fun physical activities for kids—like playing on swings, building sandcastles, and participating in team sports—are done out in the sun. This may prompt you to take extra sun safety precautions as they play, like bringing extra water and applying sunscreen to prevent dehydration and protect their skin. However, the sun can impact their eyes as well.

Kids have higher risks of incurring eye damage from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) light. According to West Wales Family Life, a child’s eyes let in 70% more UV rays compared to adults, making kids more vulnerable to vision complications caused by the sun. This could lead to more serious issues in the future, like cataracts and macular degeneration. To counter these risks, your kids should wear sunglasses for extra protection as they reap the benefits of outdoor physical play.

Here’s how you can pick the best pair for them:

UV protection

An article by the Association of Optometrists warns parents that when kids are outdoors for long periods of time, it increases their exposure to UV light. Given that their eyes will absorb more of this light, it’s crucial that they use sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection. Be sure to check the label of the pair you want to buy to see if it’s marked with ‘CE,’ the British standard ‘ISO 12312-1:2013,’ or ‘UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA/UKNI)’. This ensures your pick will adequately protect your young ones’ eyes from the sun’s harmful light. Real Shades’ Surf and Explorer models are great sunglasses you can look at that meet the bill. They’re specifically designed to provide 100% UVA and UVB protection for kids with more vulnerable eyes, which you may not get from brands that simply offer smaller versions of their regular sunglasses.

Durability

Durability is an important quality to consider because it guarantees that the sunglasses you choose can withstand your kids’ falls, drops, and hyperactive movements outdoors. To ensure resilience, look for sunglasses made with materials like polycarbonate, nylon, and polyamide to ensure the lenses’ and frames’ scratch-free and impact-resistant qualities. Sunglasses from Oakley are a good option as they are an established brand that guarantees quality. The iconic Holbrook and Frogskin sunglasses, which come in XS sizes your kids can wear, use its trademark Plutonite lenses for impact protection and nylon-based O-Matter frames to ensure they’re lightweight to wear while still being flexible and durable—meaning they’re geared to withstand strenuous activities.

Comfortable fit

It’s important for your children to feel comfortable with the sunglasses that you’ll choose for them. If they fit too tight, they can cause discomfort or pain, and if they fit too loose, they can fall off during play. By choosing sunglasses that fit well and are comfortable to wear, your kids will be more encouraged to wear them consistently. You can let your child choose or try on various pairs to ensure a good fit or opt for sunglasses brands like those offered by WeeStyle. Its WeeFarers model comes with an easily adjustable strap. Aside from ensuring the perfect fit, these sunglasses can even grow with your kids over time.

Polarised lenses

If you’re planning to go to the beach in the summer or build a snowman with your kids in the winter, you could increase their chances of catching a painful eye condition known as photokeratitis (eye sunburn), which is typically caused by exposure reflected sunlight bouncing off water or snow. To prevent this, consider getting your kids sunglasses with polarised lenses. These use a special filter that reduces glare by elevating the contrast of your kids’ surroundings. You can check labels to see if the sunglasses are polarised, or you could try tilting them at different angles to see if the lenses shift to black. The polarised sunglasses from Suneez are a great option for your kids. Their unique laminated coatings contain vertical strips that act like Venetian blinds, maximising protection against glare and improving how your child sees as they play.

It’s important to prioritise your children’s safety outdoors. Considering these qualities when buying the perfect pair of sunglasses for your kids can help them achieve a healthy and well-rounded development in the future.