When some people think of goggles for indoor tanning they sometimes conjure up the incorrect image of a person emerging from a tanning bed boasting a dreaded set of raccoon eyes. No longer!
The purpose of indoor tanning goggles is to protect your eyes from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) light. Since the eyelids don’t actually tan or provide protection from UV, it is essential to wear goggles for indoor tanning every time you attend a session.
Tanning salons provide an assortment of different clam-shaped tanning beds for you to choose from. You lie down on an acrylic surface through which ultraviolet light passes from above and below. The ultraviolet lights used in tanning beds are the same UVA and/or UVB rays emitted by the sun.
Refusing to wear goggles inside a tanning bed is very dangerous and over time can cause long-term damage to your eyesight.
Many tanning beds emit a combination of both UVA and UVB, the ratios vary depending on the type of bed. Exposure of the eyes to one or both types of UV rays in a tanning bed can result in severe burns and damage to the eye.
The human eyelid is too thin to protect the eyes from ultraviolet radiation, so merely closing your eyes is simply not enough protection. Draping a towel across your face does not block the UV either, it only filters it. Without goggles for indoor tanning, clients risk burns to the cornea, cataracts and retinal damage.
Eye irritation and conjunctivitis characterize burns to the cornea. Individuals who contract conjunctivitis can expect tearing and crusting of the eyelids as well as blurry or foggy vision.
Cataracts are a serious condition in which a membrane on the eye clouds over, like a foggy lens, and must be removed surgically. Retinal damage can cause you to literally see black or purple spots and result in eye surgery.
A cancerous condition called malignant melanoma of the eye is also associated with the use of sunlamps and tanning beds without wearing eye protection.
Independently conducted research has shown that even short-term exposure to ultra-violet light can be damaging to the eye as radiation levels inside a tanning bed can be many times greater than the radiation levels emitted by the sun.
To protect your eyesight during a visit to a salon, it is suggested that you get a pair of FDA regulated goggles for indoor tanning. You can usually purchase these at the salon or borrow a pair from the front desk. Call the salon before your appointment to make sure that you will be wearing a pair of goggles for indoor tanning from the moment the attendant switches on the machine.
When it comes to something as precious as your eyesight it is better to be safe than sorry. Today’s goggles are shaped and designed for comfort and do not leave racoon eyes. We have a huge selection of indoor tanning goggles.