With the summer season upon us Capetonians will be reaching for their sunglasses to protect them from the sun’s harsh rays. But will any old pair of sunglasses do the trick?
Students Aqeelah Harris and Ayakha Rammbuda recently set out to investigate Patient knowledge About Sunglasses and their UV protective qualities.
They were among the groups of final-year students in the Ophthalmic Sciences Department who recently presented their research findings to their classmates, second-year students and a panel consisting of the Department Head Angelique Hendricks, Prof Peter Clarke-Farr, Michael Jowell and Prasidh Ramson.
Among other things the students found that 38 percent of the participants didn’t know what UV radiation was.
When asked to rate the importance of wearing sunglasses only 26 percent of the participants rated it as very important, 58 percent rated it as reasonably important and 16 percent rated it as slightly important.
Although the sample size was small (50 participants) the students concluded that there was a need for awareness campaigns around the adverse effects of UV radiation, protection practices and knowledge of protective devices.
Some of the other research topics included the Nature of spectacle breakages, mishaps and repairs and The progression of Myopia in young adults.
Hendricks said the panel was very proud of the students and thanked the dedicated lecturers for their hard work.
“I hope you will work with us in future and publish your research,” she told the students.
Clarke-Farr said the research and presentations were getting better every year.
YOUNG RESEARCHERS: The third-year students with the panelists.
