Sunglass Myths May Be Hurting Your Family’s Vision
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damage when it’s raining or when the sun is setting. For this reason, adults and kids should wear sunglasses whenever they’re outdoors and the sun is out, even if it’s not hot outside or is cloudy. 3. Sunglasses are just for grownups. Whether they’re playing outside at recess, hanging out at the bus stop or just enjoying a relaxing Sunday in the backyard, it’s a fact that children spend more time exposed to the sun than adults do. Wherever they may soak up the sun, kids need eye protection from UV rays — and they won’t have that protection unless you teach them not only to carry sunglasses with them but to wear them each and every time their eyes are exposed to sunlight for extended periods of time. 4. All shades offer 100 percent UV protection nowadays. Any bona fide pair of sunglasses will offer a certain measure of protection, but not necessarily 100 percent UV protection, so check the label to see if you’re getting full or only partial protection. Even worse, there are other types of shades that resemble bona fide sunglasses but aren’t the real deal. They have impressivesounding names like “sun blockers” or “polarized glasses,” but the best policy for you and your kids is if they don’t offer 100 percent UV protection, you shouldn’t buy them — period. 5. The labels on sunglasses are always accurate. Unfortunately, this is not the case, as it has been reported that some sunglasses have
been inaccurately labeled. This is not to say that labels can never be trusted, but when in doubt, stick to sunglasses produced by reputable manufacturers and sold from a well-regarded source. 6. Having a darker tint means better protection from sunlight. There is no correlation between lens darkness and the amount of UV protection, so don’t be tricked into thinking that the best sunglasses are the darkest ones. Plus, dark sunglasses without sufficient UV protection actually can be quite harmful, as the dark tint can cause one’s pupils to dilate, thereby exposing them further to the effects of sunlight. Consequently, your best bet is to focus more on full UV protection and less on lens color. 7. My sunglasses say they’re polarized, so I’m definitely protected. Actually, polarization merely means that the lenses may reduce glare, and this has no relation to UV protection. Having polarized sunglasses is a nice feature, but it’s not essential to long-term ocular health. What is essential is that your shades provide full protection from the potentially harmful effects of the sun’s UV rays. 8. High-end sunglasses aren’t worth it. A really good pair of sunglasses is a worthwhile investment in your family’s eye health. High-end sunglasses undergo rigorous testing and normally have lifetime warranties from the manufacturer, as well as a frame sturdy enough to have an optometrist
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add high-end sunglass prescription lenses. Low-end sunglasses may have the UV protection, but they won’t offer the other benefits. 9. The style and size of the lenses don’t matter, as long as they provide 100 percent UV protection. It’s great if your sunglasses offer 100 percent protection from UV rays, but the size and style of the lenses are also significant protective factors. Small lenses provide less eye protection than larger ones because they permit more sunlight to enter; if the lenses rest a far distance from the eyes, there’s even less protection. Thus, you might consider choosing larger lenses that wrap fully around the eyes, protecting them from angles that smaller lenses don’t. 10. I lose or break my sunglasses all the time, so there’s no point wearing them. Interestingly, it has been reported that 14 percent of respondents in a study use that very excuse: They don’t wear sunglasses because they’re constantly losing or breaking them. Undoubtedly, kids are just as liable to break or lose sunglasses as adults, if not more so. Nonetheless, if we weigh the cost of buying new shades versus the cost of poor eye health, there’s really no excuse to not wear sunglasses. With the right knowledge and good habits in place, it’s not difficult to leverage the protective power of a good pair of sunglasses. They make it cool to protect your family’s eyesight.
How Programmable Thermostats Save Money and Energy
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omeowners who have not yet upgraded to a programmable thermostat could be doing themselves a significant disservice. Not only are they key to saving energy, they also save money. The Alliance for Environmental Sustainability note that for every degree they adjust their thermostats, homeowners save between 1 and 3 percent on their heating and cooling bills. Setting the thermostat slightly warmer in the summer and a notch or two cooler in the winter can save a considerable amount of energy and money. Further, the United States Department of Energy says homeowners who make slight seasonal adjustments to their thermostats can save as much as 10 percent a year on heating and cooling costs. But such adjustments are only truly effective when homeowners commit to them on a daily basis. The best way to stay on top of temperature settings is to purchase a programmable thermostat, which
allows a homeowner to predetermine when heat or air conditioning will turn on and off. Many programmable thermostats can store multiple daily settings, allowing homeowners to further customize their heating and cooling schedules based on the time of day as well as the day of the week. According to Energy.gov, a common misconception associated with thermostats is that a furnace or an air conditioning system works harder than normal to get the space back to a comfortable temperature after the thermostat has been set back and that this hard work means the overall savings are negligible. However, when a home’s interior temperature is similar to the temperature outside, the home will lose energy to the surrounding environment more slowly. The lower the interior temperature, the slower the heat loss in cold weather, and a higher interior temperature will slow the flow of heat into your house in hot weather. Programmable thermostats are available in a variety of models. Some are easier to program than others.
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Certain thermostats can be linked to a home’s wireless system so that adjustments can be made even when you are not at home. Consult with an HVAC expert to see if a particular thermostat works best with your system. Some homes may benefit from a dual- or multizoned system, which allows homeowners to adjust the temperature independently from other floors or wings of a home. The location of the thermostat also is important. It should be placed where it can get the most accurate reading of the house. It also should be on an interior wall away from direct sunlight, doorways, drafts and windows and should not be directly facing an air vent. Avoid placing furniture above or below the thermostat, as such furnishings can impede proper air flow. If you feel like your HVAC system is cycling on and off even after programming, you may need to call a technician, who can determine if there are any obstructions to the thermostat or if the unit is the appropriate size for your home.
moments | July 2015 | www.statesboromoments.com
rom the Blues Brothers to Tom Cruise in “Risky Business,” sunglasses have become an iconic American emblem of style and attitude — yet wearing sunglasses isn’t just about looking cool. Beyond the fashion statement, there are compelling health reasons for you and your family to don a pair of shades. So why do we see so many parents and kids outside, in the bright sunlight, not wearing sunglasses? Most likely, it has to do with a lack of information about ultraviolet rays, sunglasses and eye health. To help solve this, let’s explore 10 myths surrounding these topics and how you can help your family — and yourself — stay informed and healthy. 1. Sunglasses are just for looks. Yes, sunglasses can add a certain cool factor to your ensemble, but the true value of sunglass use lies in its protective qualities. In particular, highquality sunglasses will protect your and your kids’ eyes from the devastating effects of prolonged exposure to the sun’s UV rays. This is significant, because this exposure eventually can cause serious eye conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration. 2. The only time to wear sunglasses is when it’s sunny outside. UV rays can be equally present and harmful on cloudy days as they are on a sunny day. Indeed, it is entirely possible for the sun’s rays to do maximum
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