7 Ways to Protect Your Vision

Swear by Sunglasses

UV light is a major player in the hardening of the lenses and the development of cataracts and macular degeneration. In fact, “one thing shown to impede cataract formation is UV protection,” says Jill Koury, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Duke University Eye Center, in Durham, North Carolina. That means it’s important to wear sunglasses with dark lenses that filter out 100 percent of UV rays (the label should indicate this) whenever you’re outside. Koury also tells patients to put on a hat. “All glasses allow some light in through the tops and the sides,” she says. “It bounces off your cheeks and right into your eyes.” Choose one that has a brim of at least four inches.