Sun Awareness Week is a campaign spear-headed by the British Association of Dermatologists and is a way to get people to be aware of the potential harm too much exposure to the sun can have. This also means the skin around your eyes, which is actually much more sensitive to sun than the skin on the rest of your body. Also, everyone is aware that too much sun can be harmful to skin, but too much sun can also be harmful to your eyes.
Summer is the perfect time to dust off those sunglasses or buy new sunglasses. But wearing sunglasses is not only for fashion, but is the best way to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. It is important to keep in mind that not all sunglasses are the same and in fact, wearing the wrong sunglasses could actually hurt your eyes.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that damage to eyes from the sun’s UV rays is irreparable and that the damage is actually cumulative. This means that you need to be protecting your eyes, all year round, not just during the summer, so wearing sunglasses is important for long-term eye health.
Don’t just wear any sunglasses, but make sure the sunglasses you buy provide real UVA and UVB protection. Prices of sunglasses vary greatly, from just a few pounds to several hundreds of pounds. What is the difference? One big difference is between no-brand and branded sunglasses – a pair of Gucci sunglasses are going to cost more than a pair of no-brand sunglasses. You are in effect paying for the design, quality and name of the Gucci brand. The other difference is of course the materials used. Simply put, good quality materials cost more – this is especially true when it comes to lenses, which are the most important part of the sunglasses, when it comes to protecting your eyes from the sun.
The first thing to look for are sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB rays. This should be clearly marked on the sunglasses and if it isn’t, don’t buy them. This is important because too much UV light can lead to cataracts, glaucoma and other eye diseases.
The second thing to be aware of is that dark lenses don’t necessarily block UV light. In fact, wearing very dark glasses that don’t have UV protection can be more harmful, because your pupils will open more when you wear dark glasses to let more light in. If the dark glasses don’t have UV protection, then you are in fact letting more UV rays into your eyes. This is not to say dark glasses are bad, but you need to make sure that they have UV protection.
Another characteristic people look for in sunglasses are polarised lenses. Keep in mind here again, that polarised lenses do not necessarily mean that the glasses provide UV protection – these are two different things. Polarised lenses reduce glare and are good for people spending a lot time on the water or in the snow, where the sun’s rays bounce off the shiny surface and create glare. But polarised lenses may make it harder to see other light, such as from computer screens, mobile phones and vehicle dashboards. If you are opting for sunglasses with polarised lenses, make sure they also provide UV protection.
At designerglasses.co.uk, we pride ourselves in providing the best quality in sunglasses, with all the protection you need for your eyes.
