Keep your eyes protected from UV rays
Eye health comes first at Boots Opticians by including UV lenses as standard with every single pair of frames that they sell.
Not only that, but they're also urging other high street opticians to follow suit in a drive to reduce the risk of vision loss through conditions associated with UV damage.
With an estimated three million people going blind from conditions linked to prolonged UV exposure each year, Boots Opticians is championing everyone’s right to UV protection by making its Boots Protect lenses – its most effective form of UV protection - available to all, including NHS customers, at no extra cost.
With only 10% of people aware that UV increases the risk of eye damage or that eyes are up to 10 times more sensitive to UV damage than skin; Boots Opticians is committed to helping people understand how best to protect themselves in order to maintain great eye health - just as they understand applying sun cream helps protect their skin from the sun.
Professor of Ophthalmology, Robert MacLaren at Oxford University comments on the move from Boots Opticians: “Ultraviolet rays are absorbed at the front of the eye and can cause damage to the surface of the eye leading to irritation and redness. This damage may become permanent after years of exposure to UV light – leading to cataracts or age related macular degeneration. Protection from UV in your everyday glasses gives you the best opportunity to avoid eye health issues in the future. It’s encouraging to see this initiative to improve eye health and I hope other opticians will follow suit.”
Previously, 40% of Boots customers opted to pay extra for UV protection when buying prescription glasses for themselves and their children. Children are particularly susceptible when it comes to UV. Evidence suggests up to 70% more light reaches a child’s retina than an adult’s and that 80% of a person’s lifetime exposure to UV eye damage happens before the age of 18.
Believing that everyone has the right to UV protection, no matter what age, Boots Opticians new ‘clearer prices, clearer vision’ offer means the superior Boots Protect lenses, for adults, and the Boots Protect Ultratough lenses, for children, will now come as standard with all frames, even on the most basic frame range and NHS prescriptions – the first time UV protection will be available, as standard, to NHS customers.
Offering a higher level of UV protection to the eye by filtering out harmful UV rays on both sides of the lens – not just the front surface; the Boots Protect lenses offer scratch resistance and a reflection free coating to offer all round protection.
Victoria O’Connor, Eye Health Condition Manager, Boots Opticians comments: “We recognise that up until now the complicated pricing structure of glasses on the high street has left customers confused when making choices to protect their eye health. Between 30% and 40% of UV penetrates through the clouds on an overcast day in the UK*, so we want to protect the nation’s eyes as standard. We’ve simplified our prices and added UV lenses to even our most basic package - eye health shouldn’t be an added extra. We believe all round UV protection should be available to all customers at an affordable price on their local high street.”
Francesca Marchetti, Optometrist and immediate-past Chair of National Eye Health Week says: “Protecting your eyes from UV rays is vital. According to the World Health Organisation UV damage is the most preventable factor of developing cataracts and around 10% of all skin cancers affect the eyes. Exposure to the sun's UV rays also increases your risk of age-related macular degeneration - the UK's leading cause of blindness. The risks associated with UV exposure are cumulative so it’s important to protect your eyes whenever the UV Index reaches three or more. UV damage can occur even when its cloudy so everyday UV protection could help minimise your chances of suffering future sight loss.”
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