Are you hitting the beach during the holiday weekend? If so, don't forget to protect your eyes from the sun! While it's always important to lather on the sunscreen before heading out, it's equally important to protect your eyes from UV rays.

Numerous eye problems can result from sun damage. Young people especially need to remember to wear eye protection as they tend to be outdoors in the bright sunlight more than their adult counterparts. A good pair of UV-blocking sunglasses is you first line protection, but wide-brimmed hats can also provide some shade.

An American Optometric Association survey revealed that 40% of Americans don't consider UV protection an important criteria in sunglasses. It is important. Look for sunglasses that block out 99% of UV-A and UV-B radiation.

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Are you a carb fan? If so, you may be at greater risk of developing cataracts compared to those that eat a low-glycemic diet, according to new research.

The report published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition stated that those who eat an abundance of high glycemic index foods may be exposing themselves to a larger possibility of cataract formation, where vision becomes obscured due to cloudiness formations in the eye itself.

The researchers stated that the quantity and quality of carbohydrates in the diet may play a role in cataract formation. It's not that all carbs and all high-glycemic foods are bad, but the mass consumption of the worst kinds of high glycemic foods can be problematic for future cataract development. The research concluded that people with the highest GI diets were 77 percent more likely to develop a cataract than people with the lowest GI diets.

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Cataracts are fairly common, with some experts saying pretty much everybody will get them eventually -- it's just a matter of living long enough. Cataracts occur when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy, and then obviously it's harder to see clearly. Seeing at night is more difficult, colors may seem faded, there may be "halos" around lights, and vision in general may appear cloudy or blurred.

Thankfully, cataract treatment is easy and fast with today's technology. A simple surgery to replace the lens in the eye can be done, usually within an hour and without any hospitalization. But the single best thing you can do to help prevent (or at least "put off") the development of cataracts is super simple: wear sunglasses.

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