Sunglasses are particularly popular in the summer, but the truth is, your eyes need protection year round. The cooler weather of fall and winter leads many to believe that protection from the sun is unnecessary, but UV rays are active and can cause damage at any time of the year.
UV Rays
As you know from sunscreen commercials, there are both UV-A and UV-B rays that cause damage to your skin. These same rays can cause problems not only to the skin around your eyes, but to the actual eye itself.
Retinal Damage
There are several different effects the sun's rays can have on your eye. Exposure to sunlight can lead to cataracts, a clouding of the lens of the eye causing clouded vision; photokeratitis (also known as snow blindness or flash burns), a sunburn on your cornea which blurs vision; or pinguecula or pterygia (also known as Surfer's Eye), two variations of growths that can develop on the eye.
The Perfect Pair of Sunglasses
When it comes to sunglasses, don't go by price alone. Standards and labeling regarding UV Protection is not mandated or regulated. Information is provided voluntarily by the company, so buy sunglasses that offer information about the product you are buying. The perfect pair should offer UV-400 protection blocking out 100% of the harmful UV rays.
Studies have shown that wearing sunglasses with no UV protection, regardless of the darkness of the lens, is actually worse than wearing no sunglasses at all. The darker lens causes the pupil to open-up, allowing more harmful UV rays to enter the eye than squinting would permit.
Often the color of the lens doesn't matter unless you want to also block out HEV rays (high energy visible), which have been associated with the development of macular degeneration. To block HEV rays, you should choose a lens that is bronze, copper, or reddish brown.
Lens Quality
Sunglasses should shelter out 75-90% of visible light to provide the best protection. When looking in the mirror, you shouldn't be able to see your eyes.
You also want to look at the tint of your sunglasses and make sure it's uniform. To do this, simply hold the glasses out at arm's length and look through one lens at a straight line in the distance (i.e. door frame or door edge). Slowly move the lens across the line of the door; if the straight edge distorts in anyway (curves, moves, changes tint), it is flawed, and you need to look at another pair.
Research
It's always good to get the advice of a professional, so ask an optometrist for their opinion. When researching online, double check the source of your information.
UV Rays
As you know from sunscreen commercials, there are both UV-A and UV-B rays that cause damage to your skin. These same rays can cause problems not only to the skin around your eyes, but to the actual eye itself.
Retinal Damage
There are several different effects the sun's rays can have on your eye. Exposure to sunlight can lead to cataracts, a clouding of the lens of the eye causing clouded vision; photokeratitis (also known as snow blindness or flash burns), a sunburn on your cornea which blurs vision; or pinguecula or pterygia (also known as Surfer's Eye), two variations of growths that can develop on the eye.
The Perfect Pair of Sunglasses
When it comes to sunglasses, don't go by price alone. Standards and labeling regarding UV Protection is not mandated or regulated. Information is provided voluntarily by the company, so buy sunglasses that offer information about the product you are buying. The perfect pair should offer UV-400 protection blocking out 100% of the harmful UV rays.
Studies have shown that wearing sunglasses with no UV protection, regardless of the darkness of the lens, is actually worse than wearing no sunglasses at all. The darker lens causes the pupil to open-up, allowing more harmful UV rays to enter the eye than squinting would permit.
Often the color of the lens doesn't matter unless you want to also block out HEV rays (high energy visible), which have been associated with the development of macular degeneration. To block HEV rays, you should choose a lens that is bronze, copper, or reddish brown.
Lens Quality
Sunglasses should shelter out 75-90% of visible light to provide the best protection. When looking in the mirror, you shouldn't be able to see your eyes.
You also want to look at the tint of your sunglasses and make sure it's uniform. To do this, simply hold the glasses out at arm's length and look through one lens at a straight line in the distance (i.e. door frame or door edge). Slowly move the lens across the line of the door; if the straight edge distorts in anyway (curves, moves, changes tint), it is flawed, and you need to look at another pair.
Research
It's always good to get the advice of a professional, so ask an optometrist for their opinion. When researching online, double check the source of your information.
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