Wearing the correct sunglasses is very important.

Cheap sunglasses may reduce the sunlight but they can in fact be harmful to the eye, by causing the eye to dilate, due to the lower light conditions but then not having the correct filters to reduce the harmful UV radiation, so more of the harmful rays get into the eye as the pupil is actually wider. So although cheap sunglasses may provide more comfort from reducing the light, they will not provide sufficient protection against the harmful rays.

Also, polarising lenses do not block all UV light. SO, while they do reduce glare good polarising lenses will be coated with special filters and coatings to give 100%UV protection. The colour or depth of a tint gives little indication of how much actual protection it provides against UV light.

Frames

Frames should be large enough to cover all the eye and area around the eye, as well as having a wrap effect to protect light penetration from occurring around the sides of the frame. Be aware though that many designer sunglasses may have the big frames which give plenty of cover but the lenses won’t offer optimum protection and visual comfort in the sun.

Contact Lenses

Many modern contact lenses also have special UV filters built in, so if you play sport outdoors a lot, and wear contact lenses, it is worth seeing if you can get these types of UV block contact lenses to suit your prescription.

What to look out for in sun lenses?

In Europe sunglasses should have CE approved mark. However, be aware, as opposed to Australia, in the EU, the use of the CE mark is self-regulating so, don’t take it at face value that because CE is on the frames, the lenses are 100%UV protective.

In fact the standards as laid down by the EU directive are in fact less than is required than in standards in other countries. So, CE marked sunglasses may not give as full protection as sunglasses are required to provide full in other jurisdictions, ex Australia or USA.

The lenses should be 100% UVA and UVB protective or UV 400 protective.

Good lenses in your sunglasses should:

• Reduce glare
• Give good visual comfort
• Allow clear vision with distortion
• Give full UV protection
• Cover the eyes fully
• Minimise distortion of colours

Prescription sunglasses

Any Sunglass lens can be made to suit most prescriptions. High quality polarising lenses with all the necessary filters to protect the eyes are now commonplace choice for prescription sunglasses. Other options for wearing prescription lenses with sun protection are photochromatic lenses, are clear indoors but will darken outdoors when exposed to UV light. It is also possible to get clip-overs which are made from sun lens materials but fit over the wearers normal prescription glasses. All prescription sunglass lenses will automatically offer good UV protection however, it is now possible to get high performance sunlenses made to prescription, offering additional protection, comfort and high quality vision.

How much should I spend?

Beware, expensive designer sunglasses are generally a fashion accessory and often will not offer the best protection and optical performance. However, cheap sunglasses (even if they have the CE mark) will also not give your eyes the protection they require and can do more harm than good. When choosing sunglasses, it is best to decide what you most want from your sunglasses and then find a good brand which offers the level of protection you require and has had the tests done to show the lenses meet Internationally recognised standards. The best standard is the Australian standard which has five ratings from 0, meaning low UV protection to 4 which is high UV protection but not suitable for driving.

Sunglasses can have any or all combinations of the above discussed features for lenses. However, the more of those features that are likely to be included in your sun lenses, the more expensive they are going to be.

Why is it important to wear sunglasses?

Apart from the fact that wearing sunglasses in bright light gives more comfort to the eyes, high quality sun lenses will actually enhance your vision in bright or glary conditions…this is what you should pay more for in some brands of sunglasses, not the designer label!

However, UV light can be harmful to the eyes on both a short and long term basis:

• Short term effects of over-exposure to UV light include UV keratitis where the cornea at the front of the eye is burned and becomes inflamed and sore, but will usually resolve within 24 hours. This type of exposure is common in water or snow sports.
• Long term effects of exposure to UV can lead to increased risk of cataracts, Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and various cancers of the eye lids.

If you take certain medications you should check with your doctor or pharmacist as certain prescription medications can make you more sensitive to UV light and more prone to suffering from sun damage.

If you have had your cataracts removed, you should also wear high quality protective sunglasses, as exposure to uv light after cataracts have been removed from the eye, can accelerate aging at the back of the eye and increase the risk of developing AMD.

Children are particularly at risk from damage due to UV exposure as they are outdoors more and their eyes lack the natural protections that occur with age. Children should always wear a peaked hat in the sun and should be encouraged to wear sunglasses.