Sunglasses are more than just a fashion accessory, they protect you from the harm of the sun’s rays.

August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, and it’s never too early to have your child wearing sunglasses. Dr. Megan Hangartner with Modern Eye Care in Washington shares the benefits of putting on shades, “Sunglasses help reduce the amount of UV rays that are entering into the eye, so basically it’s kind of like sunscreen for your eyes themselves. So just as sunscreen is important because always wearing sunscreen can prevent things like skin cancer down the road, same thing with sunglasses. We can prevent various forms of cancerous growths around the eyes by wearing sunglasses all your life.”

Hangartner adds wearing sunglasses can prevent the progression of afflictions like cataracts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say sunglasses can also protect the tender skin around your eyes from sun exposure, and sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays offer the best protection. CDC states that most sunglasses in the U.S., regardless of cost, meet this standard.