Sunglasses shouldn't be considered a purely aesthetic choice. They ought to be considered a crucial medication for good eye health. Sunlight's ultraviolet (UV) rays harm your skin in addition to other body tissues. Your eyes are also harmed by them. The risk of eye problems rises with sun exposure. Sunburned eyes are among the first results. Macular degeneration, cataracts, and growths on or near the eye (which could be malignant) are among the long-term impacts.
Your eyes can be shielded from the sun's dangerous UV radiation by wearing sunglasses. To the eyes, they function like sunscreen. But which sunglasses are the finest for protecting your eyes?
The best sunglasses for eye protection are tinted, polarised, and UV-blocking shades. Sunglasses with UV protection shield the eyes from harmful UV radiation. Glare is lessened with polarised sunglasses. While tinted eyewear lessens the amount of light that reaches the eyes.
The many varieties of sunglasses will be discussed in this article along with how they might help to maintain good eye health. The best sunglasses for driving will also be discussed, along with other selection criteria.
1. Considerations while selecting eyewear
The latest fashion should not be your top consideration when purchasing sunglasses.
Sunglasses' main purpose is to shield your eyes from the sun's damaging rays. Therefore, be sure that the sunglasses you select provide the best possible protection for your eyes.
The labels on sunglasses indicate whether or not they provide the best UV protection. One of these three labels should catch your eye:
100% UV protection
The label that reads "100% UV protection" is self-explanatory. It demonstrates that all of the sun's damaging rays will be blocked by the sunglasses.
Defend against UVA and UVB rays
The label that reads "blocks UVA/UVB radiation" is more precise. It demonstrates that the sunglasses prevent UVA and UVB rays.
95% of the UV photons that reach humans are UVA radiation. They may result in vision haze and retinal damage. However, just 5% of the UV rays that reach us are UVA radiation. They can, however, harm the cornea and lens, leading to eye sunburn and the formation of cataracts.
UVC, UVB, and UVA are the three kinds of UV radiation. The atmosphere filters out UVC, preventing it from reaching the earth's surface. From the sun, only UVA and UVB rays reach us. Therefore, sunglasses that filter UVA and UVB rays provide 100 percent UV protection.
UV400 or 400NM
The label that reads "400NM or UV400" is significantly more exact. The UV light wavelengths that the sunglasses are designed to prevent from reaching your eyes are listed. Sunglasses with a label reading "400NM or 400UV" prevent all UV light with wavelengths up to 400 nanometers from penetrating the eyes.
The wavelength range of UV light is 100 to 400 nanometers. Thus, a pair of sunglasses that blocks UV rays up to 400 nm delivers 100 percent protection.You can bring sunglasses to an optical store for a test if you are unsure about the label. To check whether the glasses are effective in blocking UV light, they can use a UV light metre.
2. Consider big sunglasses because size counts.
When purchasing sunglasses, bigger is preferable. The more coverage from the sun's rays sunglasses offer, the bigger they are. So, think about getting bigger eyewear. Choose protection over fashionable items, even if they are not.
Consider wraparound sunglasses if you'd prefer not to wear big eyeglasses. The curved lens of these regular-sized sunglasses wraps around your temples. By blocking rays from entering your eyes from the sides, they offer peripheral coverage. Consequently, they shield your skin from all sides from harmful UV rays.
3. Darker shades may not necessarily provide superior UV protection.
Darker is not better when choosing sunglasses to shield your eyes from the sun.
Sunglasses with tint are typically coloured black. Although it somewhat blocks visible light, the hue has nothing to do with UV defence.
Darker lenses do not therefore block more UV radiation. It's not necessary for sunglasses to be completely dark to block the sun's harmful rays. In actuality, transparent lenses can completely exclude UV rays.
However, when purchasing sunglasses, a high UV rating is more significant than the lens hue. Amber or brown lenses are appropriate if you have macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy. This is because the contrasts created by these colours help you see more clearly.
4. Expensive sunglasses don't necessarily provide higher UV protection
You don't need to spend a lot of money on sunglasses to get good eye protection.
The UV rating of the sunglasses, not their price, is what matters most. Sunglasses that claim to offer "100% UV protection" yet are inexpensive are therefore more effective than expensive models that do not.
Sunglasses that are best for your health
The following are some of the best sunglasses for eye health:
UV-blocking eyewear
polarised eyewear
Tinted eyewear
1. UV-protective eyewear
All-year protection is provided with UV-blocking sunglasses, which are also more effective than UV-blocking contact lenses.
Almost everyone enjoys being outside and basking in the sun. Unfortunately, the eyes are harmed by the sun's harmful UV rays. So, although you enjoy the sun's rays, remember to wear sun protection, such as sunglasses with UV protection.
Sunny days are typically linked with sunglasses. However, clouds can be penetrated by the sun's UV radiation. Therefore, even on cloudy days, damaging UV rays will still reach your eyes. This means that you require UV-protective eyewear year-round.
More UV protection is offered by UV-blocking sunglasses than by UV-blocking contact lenses. Only the portion of the eye covered by the contact lens is protected.
Only the portion of the eye covered by the contact lens is protected. However, the sunglasses cover the entire eye, including the sensitive skin and tissues surrounding the eyes.
The following are some advantages of using sunglasses with UV protection:
- Limit the amount of UV radiation that reaches the eyes.
- Prevent UV rays from damaging your eyes.
- Provide superior protection than UV-blocking contact lenses by shielding the eyes from UV rays in both sunny and non-sunny conditions.
2. Polarised eyewear
Horizontal light waves are absorbed by polarised sunglasses using an additional chemical coating on the lenses. Only vertical light waves can pass through the lens and reach the eyeballs.
Glares are caused by horizontal light rays. Glare happens when light enters the eyes at a level at which it is not accustomed.
Almost everyone has encountered glare at some point or another. Do you, for instance, occasionally squint or turn your gaze away when driving at night due of the bright headlights of the vehicles in front of you? That is a prime illustration of glare.
The excessively bright light causes a loss of visual performance and discomfort. Polarised lenses and sunglasses eliminate glare by filtering out the brilliant light rays, ensuring clear vision.
Polarised sunglasses have the following advantages:
- Typically contain UV protection to shield the eyes from dangerous UV rays
- Lessens glare reflected from reflective surfaces
- Make the eyes more lucid and focused
3. Sunglasses with tint
Sunglasses with tinted lenses also block out the sun's rays. A coloured dye is present in tinted lenses. Different dyes are utilised. Thus, tinted glasses come in a variety of tints.
Tinted sunglasses are stylish because of the various tint colours. You may select coloured tinted sunglasses that match your taste, whether you like a daring or understated appearance. The available lens colours are black, grey, brown, and green. But the dark hues are ideal for the majority of outdoor activities.
The amount of light that reaches the eye is lessened with tinted lenses. The tint acts as a dimming agent. UV protection does not always imply tinted glasses. But many tinted sunglasses have UV-blocking built right into the tinted lenses.
The following are a few advantages of wearing tinted glasses:
- Available in a choice of stylish colours
- Reduce the amount of light that reaches the eyes.
- In order to shield the eyes from dangerous ultraviolet rays, many additionally include UV blocking.