(http://www.PreserveMacForte.com) Proactive parents who want to reduce the odds of their children ever coming down with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) should ensure that they head out into the sun not only with sunscreen lotion, but also with sunglasses, reported ABC10News on its website.

According to the article, Ophthalmologist Frances Cosgrove stated that keeping kids’ eyes shielded from the sun now could prevent them from developing AMD, an eye ailment that can potentially lead to legal blindness, when they reach adulthood. However, Cosgrove said in the article that parents should not be led to believe that one pair of glasses is necessarily equal to another pair. Cosgrove explained, for instance, that it is erroneous to believe that darker lenses will necessarily provide more protection than will lighter lenses. Cosgrove said that people looking for sunglasses must ensure that they are capable of blocking UVB and UVA rays. Parents should buy sunglasses that offer between 99% and 100% protection from these harmful ultra violet rays.

Cosgrove added in the article that dark glasses that lack the UVA and UVB protection could possibly dilate the eyes, which might end up leading to more damage down the road.

Proactive parents need to start concerning themselves with the kids’ eye health sooner rather than later, said Cosgrove, adding that they can equip their little ones with wide-brimmed hats if they happen to be too young to comfortably wear sunglasses.

Adam Amick was cited as saying in the article that he and his wife always ensure that their children have on sunglasses when its “bright and sunny” outside.

Getting children used to wearing sunglasses at an early age, added the article, is important because doing so can increase the odds that the children grow up to make wearing sunglasses a lifelong habit.

Previous reports have noted that people don’t have to get expensive designer brands to obtain the protection they need. What they should not compromise on is the level of protection the glasses offer. So it is possible to spend very little to get sunglasses that will provide enough protection to lessen the odds of developing AMD down the line.

Reference: http://www.10news.com/lifestyle/health/experts-sunglasses-as-important-as-sunblock-for-children-061013