General Sun Protection
Shade Those Peepers
Treating Sunburn
Screening Sunscreens

Your child's eyes are also sensitive to the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) light. Children's eyeballs can redden and swell from excessive sun exposure. In fact, one of our children recently had what we thought was conjunctivitis, until we noticed his eyes were redder after several hours in the sun without wearing sunglasses.

Eye specialists believe that toy sunglasses may actually be worse than no sunglasses at all. That's because toy shades simply darken the eye area and enlarge baby's pupils, allowing more damaging light to reach the inside of the eye. It's best to use sunglasses labeled "100 percent UV filtration" for your baby—but expect to pay a higher price for this added protection. If your toddler is reluctant to wear sunglasses, keep a wide-brimmed hat nearby to shade her eyes. To get your child to wear a hat and sunglasses, first wear some funky ones yourself and your child will copy.