Eye protection from the sun is important because ultraviolet rays can damage the surface of your eye as well as your skin. Sunglasses protect the eyes from skin cancer on the eyelids and surrounding area, as well as the eye itself. There is evidence that sun damage from UVA rays is a risk factor for various conditions including cataracts and macular degeneration.

Most ultraviolet radiation passes through cloud cover so your eyes are still exposed to risk from the sun on a cloudy day. Even in the shade, some UV rays will reach your eyes through reflection from buildings, sand, water etc...

If you wear reading glasses and want to be able to read safely outside, Reading Glasses Direct sells sun readers.  Sun readersare reading glasses with UV protection. The level of sun protection provided by sun reading glasses varies greatly. All sun readers sold by Reading Glasses Direct offer UV 400 protection, which is the level of protection recommended by the NHS. Sun readers are available in the same magnifications as our other reading glasses, ranging from 1.0 to 3.0.