Before you buy your next pair..

An article by Lucy    No Comments

Sunglasses and Healthy Eyes

It is probably safe to say everyone has seen those little annoying stickers on sunglasses that say things like “polarized” or “100% UV protection”, right? However, who actually knows what these things mean or if they are even important?  And is it more important to have these aspects or to have sunglasses that fit your look?

Polarized Lenses

Let’s take a look at what these things really mean.  First, polarized: eliminates glare from reflective objects. Car hoods, perhaps if your kid leaves something shiny in the car seat next to you, anything that can create a glare from the sun, or even if you’re enjoying a fishing trip and there is a glare on the water.  The polarized filter stops the horizontal rays from the sometimes blinding affects of the sun hitting down on everything from the water to the road.   I know for a fact that many people who wear contacts get a lot of extra glare when driving, so polarized sunglasses are a great way to help cut down on that.   This option for sunglasses became available in 1936 after being created by Edwin Land.  Simple enough!

UV Protection

Perhaps a bit more in depth are the UV ratings on sunglasses.  UV stands for ultraviolet radiation, and is produced by the sun.  UV rays have been blamed for causing a range of things from snow blindness to eye cancer so it isn’t surprising that your sunglasses should protect against this invisible  threat.  There are different kinds of UV rays, one of which is UVB that is mostly responsible for things like sunburn and premature aging. Another is UVA, shorter waves and a bit less known than UVB, but just as dangerous.  UVA rays are known to cause damage to a person’s cornea and retina. Long term effects include cataracts and macular degeneration. A third kind of UV rays are UVC rays which have not been included in sunglasses protection as of now since these rays haven’t penetrated the ozone layer yet.

There are plenty of factors to consider when purchasing a pair of sunglasses, we should all be sure to investigate for our own protection.  We can’t avoid being in the sun, and it does provide some great things like vitamin D which research shows helps with the absorption of calcium.  The sun can also be a powerful mood enhancer, most people feel much happier after a good safe dose of sunshine!  Just be informed and get a great pair of sunglasses that offers both style AND safety!