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When thinking about your next investment, a good pair of sunglasses should come to mind.  “If you are going to buy a pair of glasses over-the-counter instead of a nicer pair like Ray-Ban, you will find a difference in optical quality.  You can see better with expensive pairs,” says Dr. Dawn Stratton, optometrist at Professional Opticians.  It is important to learn the basics before you go shopping.

Sunglasses are more than just an accessory.  They promote health and safety.  “Sunglasses filter light and protect your eyes from damaging UV rays,” says Hecker.  Another great way to protect your eyes from sun damage is wearing a wide-brimmed hat.  Though the eyes are often ignored as the smallest part of the body, it is essential to do your part to save your sight.

Understand what you are up against.  “UVA can hurt central vision and damage the macula, the part of the retina at the back of the eye.  The front part of your eye which includes the cornea and lens absorbs UVB which causes more damage than UVA,” says Hecker.  Both contribute to macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss for older Americans.  “UVB can cause cataracts or clouding of the eye’s natural lens which is the part of the eye that focuses the light we see,” says Hecker.  Without protection, you can also get skin cancer around the eyelids or photokeratitis, which is corneal sunburn from intense short-term exposure to UVB.  

Know what to look for on the label in order to be sure that the sunglasses block ninety-nine to one hundred percent of UVA and UVB radiation.  “Labels that say ‘UV absorption up to 400 nm’ or ‘Meets ANSI UV Requirements’ mean that the glasses block at least ninety-nine percent of UV rays,” says Stephanie Feger of the American Cancer Society.  All glasses are not treated equally.  “If there is no label, do not assume the sunglasses provide any protection,” says Feger.  Glasses labeled cosmetic do not provide enough coverage either.  “Sunglasses without UV may shade the eyes but actually cause the pupils to dilate which allows even more harmful rays to come in,” says Sarah Hecker of Prevent Blindness America. 

Do not let a tint deceive you.  “Darker glasses are not necessarily better because UV protection comes from an invisible chemical applied to the lenses, not from the color or darkness of the lenses,” says Feger.  If you spot the label for the American National Standards Institute you should be safe.  It usually comes down to personal preference.  “The grey and green tints give you more of a natural color perception and do not distort the colors you see.  The brown tints help reduce glare for people who spend time out on the lake fishing or boating,” says Stratton.  Blue blockers are also available which have a yellow or orange amber look to the lens.  “They improve your contrast and depth perception and make you feel that you can see further away because they sharpen vision,” says Stratton.  The blue blockers are particularly useful for hunters and pilots.  

Polarized lenses can take away the glare especially if you are driving.  “Just because it says it is polarized does not mean it has UV protection so you should always look for that sticker,” says Stratton.  Consider what you are doing when deciding what criteria would be most appropriate.  “For boating, you should have UV protection and glare protection.  For ball sports, you should have protective eyewear and UV protection,” says Hecker.  Once you have found a pair of glasses that meets these recommendations, look for a good fit.  “Lenses that have more of a wrap that come around the eyes will block sunlight from different angles,” says Stratton.

If you have a prescription, you can get a pair of sunglasses that does not require you to switch glasses back and forth.  “You can get photo-chromic lenses that turn dark when you go outside and lighten back up when you go inside,” says Stratton.  Contact lenses also come with UV protection but are not sufficient alone since they only protect a small portion of the eye and do not cover the skin around it.  “You want to protect the eyelids because the sunlight causes wrinkles and little growths.  The bigger the sunglasses the better,” says Stratton.

With children, it is important to be extra cautious.  You should not buy impact resistant lenses or ones that pop out of the frames.  “The American Optometric Association says that children are at greater risk of UV damage because the lenses of their eyes are more transparent which allows shorter wavelength light to reach the retina,” says Hecker.  The UV damage is cumulative and builds up over time. 

The statement that you make goes beyond just fashion.  Wearing a proper pair of sunglasses shows that you care about your eye health and safety.  Accessorize to the fullest.