Pictured above: Julie Sherwood, of Ideal Eyes in Wolverhampton, and Justin Rocyn-Jones, of Crizal Lenses, launch the 'Live Life in the Clear' eye care campaign

When the sun comes out, the first thing we do is slap on the sunscreen to protect our skin. We know that lotions containing an SPF factor are crucial for our health.

But many of us don't realise just how important it is to also protect our eyes from the sun's rays, according to a new national eye health campaign launched today in Wolverhampton and the Black Country.

Our eyes are incredibly sensitive to sunlight exposure and repeated unprotected exposure to UV rays can create myriad health problems, from cataracts to an increased risk of cancer of the eyelid.

With sunny days here again, Crizal Lenses has launched its 'Live Life in the Clear' eye care campaign aimed at helping people make better choices about their eye health and encouraging them to visit their local optician for regular eye tests and advice.

Optometrist Navdeep Kohli from Ideal Eyes in Wolverhampton, which supplies Crizal Lenses, urged everyone to think twice before setting off into the sun without lenses that offer UV protection.

The best way to do this is to use prescription lenses that have a built-in filter or sunglasses that have the CE mark or British Standard BSEN 1836:1997. But buying good prescription sunglasses does not mean you have to pay a fortune for them.

"Our eyesight is so precious that we need to ensure we do our utmost to protect ourselves from UV rays," Mr Kphli said. "Just taking a few precautions now can save a lot of discomfort and even help to stave off some serious eye health problems in later life."

He also stressed how important it is to avoid buying cheap fashion sunglasses for children which provide little or no sun protection. The call comes in the build up to national Sun Awareness Week , starting on May3, run by the British Association of Dermatologists to promote the protection of the skin against UV rays.

Launching the campaign, Justin Rocyn-Jones, head of marketing at Crizal Lenses, said it was vital that both adults and children understood the importance of stopping UV rays entering the eyes.

"After a long hard winter the spring and summer sunshine is a welcome sight and it's only natural to want to get outdoors and enjoy it. However, people need to be aware of the risks posed to the health of their eyes caused by exposure to the sun's harmful rays," he explained.

"It is very important that people venturing out into the bright sunshine make sure that their eyes are protected by sunglasses or normal glasses that have the correct lenses providing protection from the damage caused by UVA and UVB radiation. Parents should also avoid buying children cheap, low quality fashion sunglasses that may offer little or no protection against the sun's harmful rays. Instead, we would recommend that they consult their local optician for advice on the correct lenses for their children's glasses and sunglasses."

Crizal Transitions are fast-acting photochromic lenses, which means they automatically and rapidly adjust to changing light conditions, helping to reduce both eye fatigue and eye strain. 

They offer unrivalled UV protection and eliminate visible light reflection.  While ordinary sun lenses protect the eyes from the sunlight that hits the front of your lenses, Crizal Transitions offers additional protection by eliminating UV rays and light on the inside surface of the lens.

Tests have also shown that Crizal Transitions, which offer premium protection, stay clean for twice as long as standard glasses and are twice as easy to clean.

According to The Eyecare Trust charity, our eyes are 10 times more sensitive to UV light than our skin. This means protecting our eyes against harmful UV rays should be the priority for us all. Repeated exposure to UV can damage the retina and is a contributory factor of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which affects more than 600,000 people in the UK. Such exposure can also lead to cataracts1 - clouding of the lens.

The College of Optometrists warned that children are particularly at risk from damage to UV exposure. A survey it carried out in 2009 with 2,000 parents, showed that 29 per cent of those questioned did not buy sunglasses for their children, and of those who did, many admitted opting for "cheap and cheerful" over quality.