When using tanning beds it is important to protect your eyes. The UV rays are stronger and more concentrated than sun rays and can easily cause any amount of damage to your eyes.
While the recommendation to wear some kind of covering to protect the eyes is a widely disseminated bit of information, there seems to always be someone who defy all logic and reason and choose not to heed the recommendation. Regular users of tanning beds should own their own pair of goggles, also known as peepers.
Even though tanning salons will offer disposables, and they are much better than no protection at all, they usually aren't the best quality. Also, tanning salons offer a one-size-fit-all design that may not fit perfectly on everyone. Do not compromise the safety of your eyes, you need them every day.
Where the goggles don't fit perfectly, the corners tend to allow leaks and that is enough for the UV rays to damage your eyes. You really need a pair that doesn't allow leaks and doesn't have a chance of falling off accidentally. That is why it is a good idea just to own your own pair that seals the eyes completely and has a band to go around the head so they stay on.
You can also buy disposables but they tend to be of lesser quality and do not provide same the level of protection a quality pair might. In fact, they are essentially the same as the kind provided by tanning salons. So if you are going to use a tanning bed more than just a first time, have a good quality pair that fits perfectly and you can just bring it with you every time.
It's also a good idea to keep your eyes closed through the duration of your tanning session. High intensities of ultraviolet rays will damage the retina and cornea of your eyes and many times beyond repair.
Cataracts are very common to varying degrees. More exposure to UV rays increases the amount of cataracts that could build up. If surgery doesn't go well you could very well end up blind.
It's such an easy step to avoid these problems when getting your tan on. Although tanning beds have other health risks to other parts of your body, your eyes are among the more sensitive parts and even irregular use can put your eyes at risk.
Fortunately, there are other forms of sunless tanning options that can leave your skin looking well toned without blasting yourself with dangerous amounts of UV radiation. Tanning lotions are recommended by many health associations because of the relative safety they offer in contrast to other methods.