Showing posts with label sun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sun. Show all posts

Thursday, April 1, 2010

How Do Sunglasses Work?


You've been told your entire life that sunglasses are important. You know that they protect your eyes, block out the sun's ray and prolong good vision. But have you ever wondered how these miracle shades do all of that? Of course not, but you should learn. Sunglasses basically do four things for you, aside from completing a killer outfit. It is important to know what these things are and how they are done to ensure your sunglasses are doing their job.

As you probably already know, sunglasses provide protection from ultraviolet rays in sunlight. UV rays can cause serious damage to the corneas, and a good pair will shield 100% of these rays. A protective coating on the outside of sunglasses acts as a kind of filter. While it allows light through, it helps to filter out the radioactive light waves that can lead to so many dangers to your eyes.

Possibly the most prevalent purpose sunglasses serve is to provide protection from intense light. Intense sunlight can cause you to squint, a natural reaction to too much light entering the eyes. If squinting does not provide enough protection, damage to the cornea can occur next. This is especially common when outside in the snow without your sunglasses. The white of the snow reflects and magnifies the intensity of the light.

The tinting of your sunglasses will help determine the amount of light your eyes will be exposed to. As there are different types of light, all the colors of the rainbow, different shades of lenses will protect in their own ways. Gray and almost black tinted lenses will offer the greatest amount of protection from intense lights while avoiding distortion of most colors that you see.

Another quality sunglasses carry is something we are all most likely thankful for. They can provide protection from glare. Water and other shiny looking surfaces can produce a glare. These glares can block out other objects, like a car turning out of a parking lot just ahead of you. Good sunglasses can completely eliminate this kind of glare using polarization.

Light waves vibrate just like sound waves do. When a group of light waves come together but are traveling in different directions, a glare occurs. When you are blinded by a glare off of the water or another vehicle's windshield, what you are seeing is a traffic jam of light waves. Polarization filters built into sunglasses are made up of molecules that realign the light waves with each other and eliminate the glare.

As noted before, Sunglasses can eliminate specific frequencies of light. Certain light frequencies can cause blurred vision, while other frequencies enhance contrast between colors. Choosing the right color for your sunglasses lets them work better in specific situations.

Yellow, gold, amber and brown tinted sunglasses are especially good for blocking out blue light. Blue light is the color of light in the spectrum that scatters and causes blurred perception. While the yellow shades can make the rest of the world look a different color, you will see most clearly and detailed through them.

Green tinted sunglasses are better for filtering some blue light and reducing the occurrence of glares. They also offer the highest contrast and greatest visual sharpness of any other colored lens. For this reason, green sunglasses are very popular. Rose colored shades and purple tints offer the best contrast of objects against a green or blue background and make great sunglasses for hunting or water skiing.

Now that you know how sunglasses work you can be a responsible consumer. Know what to look for when choosing your sunglasses. It is not a bad idea to have more than one pair around for different reasons. This is especially true if you spend a lot of time outdoors on a variety of activities. Be responsible about your eyes and learn to protect your vision while it's still yours to protect!

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Primary Benefits of Sunglasses


There are many reasons to wear sunglasses, and everyone has one of their own. Whether it is to mask a hangover, create mystery or escape the paparazzi, sunglasses are a part of everyday life. However, often the true benefits of this popular accessory are lost when fashion or other purposes take over. It may not be your only reason, but your best reason for sunglasses should be to protect your eyes.

Science has come a long way in correcting vision gone bad. Corneal transplants help a blind person see again. Laser treatment can restore your eyesight to 20/20 or better in mere minutes. Even with all this technology, wouldn't it be easier to take care of your eyes from the start? By simply wearing good sunglasses, you will reduce your need for these scientific breakthroughs later in life.

The sun creates ultraviolet light rays which contribute to the heat it produces. These rays, called UVA and UVB can cause irreparable damage to your retina and corneas. If you've ever watched an eclipse, you know you had to do so through a pinhole in a shoebox. This is because staring directly to the sun can cause great damage to your eyes. Unfortunately, many people are unknowingly allowing their eyes to suffer the same fate by simply choosing not to wear sunglasses.

Such disorders as cataracts, macular degeneration, and even skin cancer around the eyes can be signs of sun damage and can be prevented in part by the use of sunglasses. Cataracts are an eye condition that involves clouding of the lens behind the Iris and Pupil. Although no one truly knows what causes cataracts, studies have shown links between this condition and increased exposure to ultraviolet light. Though we do not know 100% that this is the cause, it has been determined that people who habitually wear sunglasses have seen a decreased incidence of this eye disorder.

Macular degeneration causes those who suffer from it to have difficulty seeing in detail. Often even faces are hard for these people to distinguish. This disease, like cataracts, is most prevalent in elderly patients. However, also like cataracts, prolonged exposure to sunlight without the protection of sunglasses has been included as a probable cause. Individuals who practice care in selecting sunglasses with 99%-100% UV protection stand a greater chance at avoiding this fate.

Think about the last time that you spent all day in the sun and were really badly sunburned. You probably took cold baths and slathered yourself in Aloe Vera. It is a painful condition to be in when this happens to your skin. Now, imagine what that same sunlight that gave you second degree burns on your skin is doing to your eyes when you choose not to protect them with proper sunglasses. That alone should be motivation to hit the sunglass kiosk at the mall.

You don't often think of sunglasses as something that will protect your skin. In reality, a good pair of sunglasses can save your face in more ways than one. Increased exposure to sunlight can cause skin cancer and will attach the most sensitive areas first. How much more sensitive can you get then the skin around your eyes. Sunglasses can reduce the risk of skin cancer in the eyelids and areas around your eyes.

Another benefit your skin will enjoy from a good pair of sunglasses is a decreased appearance of lines around the eyes. Simply logic tells us that distorting the face in certain ways on a regular basis can cause premature wrinkles and increase the signs of aging. When you do not wear sunglasses, you tend to squint, as your eyes are uncomfortable being opened under bright light. Sunglasses can actually help reduce the appearance of crow's feet by allowing your facial muscles to remain relaxed.

Your eyes are one of your most valued features. Can you imagine waking up tomorrow and not being able to see? Many people are born blind and would give anything for the eyes you take for granted every day. A good pair of sunglasses will protect you against a world of eye disorders and pain. If you don't protect this valuable possession, before you know it, it could be gone.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Vitamin D Supplements


Vitamin D supplements can help to replenish the amount of vitamin D, which is a group of fat soluble vitamins, in your body if you aren’t getting enough during a normal day. The two major forms of vitamin D are D2 and D3. Some of these are produced when you are exposed to sunlight, which means that sunlight might be an important part of your vitamin D health.

The importance that Vitamin D supplements would play in your life relates to the way that several of your organs function. Vitamin D in general helps to regulate the calcium and the phosphorus levels in your blood. This happens because the Vitamin D actually promotes the way that the calcium and phosphorus are absorbed from the food into your intestines. It also helps the calcium be reabsorbed in your kidneys.

Another important factor that Vitamin D supplements would play in your body is that the Vitamin D is going to promote your bone formation, and the mineralization of the skeletal system. It also plays a big role in promoting the immune system and a big role in anti-tumor activity.

There are many forms of Vitamin D that can be found in the D supplements. The fact remains that the most important D vitamins that your body needs are D2 and D3. D2 is produced from fungus and from plant sources, and is not produced by the body. D3 is produced from animal sources, and it can be made in your skin when the right particles in your skin react with the ultraviolet light that comes from the sun.

Both kinds of Vitamin D are important in most mammals in order to create a healthy lifestyle and a healthy body. If you feel that you aren’t getting enough Vitamin D in your diet, a good thing to do would be to consult your doctor or a nutritionist and see what kind of vitamin supplements might help you in the long run. Remember that like with any kind of Vitamin, getting the right amounts of Vitamin D can be tricky and is very important. You don’t want too much, and you certainly don’t want too little. It might be hard for you to get just the right amount of Vitamin D, but this is where supplements can come in handy because they can help to regulate the amount of D that your body is getting each day. As long as you are sure to do this correctly, you are going to benefit from it.

Monday, October 12, 2009

How to Remove Age Spots on Face


Age spots are nasty especially on the face. Though they normally are not dangerous it is at least a cosmetic issue that can negatively affect your self-esteem. But age spots might be common on other areas as well - your hands, arms and shoulders most likely. To get rid of age spots you should first be familiar with what they are and where they come from. After that you have to think what would be the best way for you - depending also how much money you are ready to put on the treatment (there are also cheap methods that might be worth of trying). In this article I will first tell you about the age spots and then about the ways to get rid of them but also how to prevent to get them again.

What are age spots?

Age spots as a term refers to the brown spots that appear on the skin. The terms brown spot, sun spot, liver spot, lentigo and senile/solar lentigine mean exactly the same. The spots range from light brown to red or almost black in color. Formerly it was incorrectly believed that liver spots were due to liver problems. Age spots neither have anything to do with how old you are, though they are more common with older people.

Where do the age spots come from?

Since the age spots are the result of the sun, the term sun spot is more accurate and I will call them sun spots from here on. The skin ages in the sun - the longer you have stayed in the sun the older your skin feels even if your physical age is not high at all. The sun damages the melanocytes (cells in the skin's surface layer) that produce melanin pigment and transfer this pigment to other skin cells to help to protect us against the sun's UV rays. Totally these melanocytes form only 5-10% of the cells in skin's surface layer (epidermis).

Many people (like me with Irish background) have very little melanin pigment and their skin is not very affective to protect from the sun exposure and when the sun is shining down on them, the body doesn't know how to respond properly. The result can be abnormal melanin pigment that forms spots.

Can they be dangerous?

Short answer is yes, it is possible that they are cancerous. But in the vast majority they are harmless and no treatment is necessary. To be sure about that you should consult your dermatologist.

Removing spots by medical treatments

Laser treatment is generally very effective method to remove sun spots but it is definitely not the cheapest way. It may require two or more sessions to remove the spots completely, depending on where they are situated and how many there are. The prices vary from about $700 up to $5000. In cryosurgery the abnormal skin cells are destroyed and removed through freezing. Generally it is very quick procedure with quite little side effects. The freezing agent can be applied directly to the skin with a swab or sprayed on. The prices vary from $300 up to $2000 but the quality of treatment is very much comparable to the price especially on the lower price levels.

Chemical peels involve a chemical solution applied to the surface of the skin. The type of the chemical solution and the method of application affects on the depth of the peeling. There's a little downtime after the treatment but also little side effects as irritated skin. The prices are from $600 to $900. Microdermabrasion consists a variety of treatment which rejuvenate the very upper layers of the skin. These are, for example, creams with abrasive particulates and utilizing crystals which are passed across the skin to sand the skin down. As a result the skin will generally feel smoother right after treatment with a diminished appearance of sun spots. The prices vary generally from $100 to $400.

There is a wide range of topical products sold for sun spot treatment. Most involve a bleaching agent. When trying to treat individual spots, bleaching creams tend to bleach the surrounding areas more than the spots themselves. In my opinion these creams don't work as they should. All bleaching creams, Retin-As and alpha hydroxy acids make you more sensitive to the sun. And where did the age spots come from?

Natural removal of age spots

There are several natural methods that provide "guaranteed" solutions to get rid of the age spots for the rest of your life. I can tell you that most of them do not do what they say. But if you can carefully choose the method, you might find a method that works for you - and pay much less than you would do if you were consulting a doctor. So in my experience a carefully chosen all natural method would be worth of trying first. It will generally cost you less than $50 including the detailed instructions plus the ingredients.

Prevent the development of sun spots

As the treatments can only remove existing sun spots they cannot prevent the development of the new spots. This is something you have to do by yourself. It is very simple. Just protect yourself from the sun exposure! Avoid sun, protect your skin with clothes and hat and wear sunscreen all the time. It's never too late to start, you can prevent damages and reduce your skin aging. Most of the sun damage we receive occurs while we are driving. Car windows filter 100% of UVA rays (that causes burns) but none of the UVB which is responsible for sun damage and skin aging. Maybe you should consider installing UVB-protecting film on your car windows.

Conclusion

Age spots have nothing to do with your physical age, they come from the time you have been in the sun exposure. They are a skin cell malfunction caused by sun's UV rays. To avoid these spots you have to protect yourself from the sun. There are several treatment methods to remove age spots but they are generally ineffective or expensive. By choosing a good all natural method you might save hundreds of dollars.