Throughout my website you’ll find plenty of stylish, trendy and classic sunglasses, and I discuss the style and features a lot. One thing we all have to keep in mind though is sunglasses have one primary purpose, and that’s to protect your eyes from that bright star in the sky!
Despite the fact we couldn’t survive without the sun, too much sun is just no good. It’s not good for your skin in general, causes wrinkles and, worse – skin cancer! It’s equally bad for your eyes, and the different kinds of rays not only make it hard to see, they can even make you blind!
You may think you’re not doing any damage, but too much sun exposure over a long period of time can cause serious and irreparable issues. Cataracts can develop over time which will need surgery to repair. Macular degeneration is a long term issue that can cause big problems and eventual blindness.
Keep Your Peepers Safe
The way around problems with blindness related to sun damage is to make sure you get sunglasses that have UV protection. Good sunglasses will provide details about what kind of UV rays they protect against, and what percentage of rays they’re able to block.
Don’t Skimp On UV Percentage
The sunglasses you pick should be able to block between 99 and 100% of UVA and UVB rays. If the lenses don’t say that specifically, it’s best to move on to a different pair. A lot of people assume that more expensive sunglasses are better for your eyes, but you’re really paying for the name and style.
There are $300 glasses that don’t have sufficient UV protection, and there are $20 sunglasses that are great for your gaze. Just a mention of UV protection isn’t enough. You have to make sure the manufacturer is upfront and clear about what the glasses are protecting you from.
What Your Sunglasses Should Say
Glasses like the Oakley Flak Jacket (reviewed here) clearly say in the listing that they block 100% of UV rays. These are glasses that will protect your eyes properly, and don’t be put off by the fact that the lenses are not as dark as you think they should be.
Other options, like the Ray-Ban Women’s Vagabond cat eye sunglasses (reviewed here) also have the 100% UV protection with dark lenses that make people feel like they’re getting the right amount of blockage. At $150 and $100 respectively, they’re both mid-range sunglasses with all the protection you need.
Lens Color Doesn’t Matter
Another misconception is you block more UVs by purchasing glasses with darker lenses. This is not true at all! The UV protection film doesn’t have a color, and the tint is a fashion statement more than actual protection. That being said, there are films and protective coatings like polarization that can add a tint to the lenses, however they’re still not UV protected.
You Need You Vee
You have to make sure you’re getting quality glasses beyond just sturdy and stylish. Logically, you would expect to get more protection on the glasses you spend more money on, but that isn’t how it works. Often, you’re paying more money to get the exact style you want and not the protection your eye doctor will recommend you should have.
The repercussion of not having the correct protection for your eyes is nothing to scoff at. You can literally go blind if you spend a LOT of time in bright light, and don’t think about how UV rays can damage your sight. Do yourself the favor of checking for a tag or sticker that says that your sunglasses have the right UV protection. If the sticker isn’t specific, the glasses won’t do the job and you should take ‘em back.
