Would the idea of wearing sunglasses to school appeal to you? Probably not for parents and administrators but for eye specialists, it is a good idea. Some schools in Australia have made it mandatory to wear sunglasses in schools to protect young eyes from the sun’s dangerous ultraviolet rays. Education authorities say they are considering adopting the plan at all state schools in that country.
“Young eyes are particularly susceptible to glare and UV rays which can damage eyes. My daughter was brought up in the UAE and as a parent I did not encourage her to wear sunglasses or even a hat in her teens and she developed cancer in the eye, which had to be surgically removed. I insist that the rule at school is ‘No hat, no play,’” said Elizabeth Loadwick, Principal of Uptown School.
Dr K.R. Sathish, Ophthalmology Specialist at Welcare Hospital, says UV rays are the invisible light rays that are potentially hazardous to the human eyes.
“The common blinding conditions that are linked to UV are cataract and macular degeneration. The UAE is rich in sun and sand and direct as well as reflected UV rays are very strong here. Since the effects of UV rays could be cumulative in nature, its ideal for children to wear sunglasses even to school,” he said.
Awareness campaigns
The issue is not addressed seriously in schools or elsewhere, said Shilpa Radhakrishnan, a parent, who advocates the implementation of awareness campaigns in schools.
“If it is proven that the sun’s ultraviolet rays are dangerous to the kids then I definitely agree it should be mandatory for pupils to wear sunglasses,” she said while doubting it is that dangerous in the UAE.
“Students love the idea of wearing sunglasses to school but I don’t recommend it to the little ones, since it could lead to serious accidents,” said ninth grader, Amal Mohammad.
“I believe more students and parents should be made aware of the dangers of sun damage through campaigns initiated by the Ministry of Education,” she added.
Nasser Al Rahma, Director of Sport and Health Programmes Department at the Ministry of Education (MOE) said, “We only focus on physical activities, such issues falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Health.”
Source: gulfnews.com
Posted in Uncategorized 
Tags: