The Vision Council Foundation, AccuWeather and The Skin Cancer Foundation have announced a joint campaign ahead of National Sunglasses Day 2026, marked each year on June 27, aimed at promoting a broader public message around daily UV protection.
According to the organizations, the collaboration brings together eye health, skin health and weather information in a single awareness effort centred on the importance of protecting the eyes with UV-blocking sunglasses, protecting the skin with clothing, hats and broad-spectrum sunscreen, and checking daily UV conditions through AccuWeather’s UV Index.
The campaign comes as the groups point to ongoing gaps in sun-protection habits. The Vision Council cited its 2025 Market inSights with 2026 Forecast report, which found that more than 37 per cent of American adults do not regularly wear sunglasses. The Skin Cancer Foundation, meanwhile, noted that skin cancer remains the most common cancer in the United States, with UV radiation identified as its leading cause.
“Protecting yourself from the sun isn’t a single habit, but a complete routine,” said Ashley Mills, CEO of The Vision Council and The Vision Council Foundation. “When you walk out the door, you should be reaching for your sunglasses and your sunscreen, and you should know what the UV Index looks like that day.”
The organizations said the partnership is intended to combine their respective areas of expertise into more practical, coordinated public guidance. As part of the campaign, The Vision Council Foundation will continue promoting UV-protective eyewear through National Sunglasses Day resources, while The Skin Cancer Foundation will contribute sun-safety guidance and AccuWeather will provide UV forecasting tools, including its hour-by-hour UV Index.
In a statement, Jonathan Porter, Senior Vice President, Weather Content and Forecast Operations and Chief Meteorologist at AccuWeather, said the initiative is designed to help translate detailed UV data into actions people can use in daily life. Deborah S. Sarnoff, MD, President of The Skin Cancer Foundation, added that a complete sun-protection strategy should also include UV-protective sunglasses.
The three organizations said they will coordinate digital and social content leading up to and on June 27, with educational materials and campaign assets available through the Vision Council Foundation’s National Sunglasses Day toolkit.
Source: The Vision Council Foundation
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