Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsLight or Dark Tint?Polarized vs. NonpolarizedOther FeaturesWhen to WearEye Protection Tips
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Light or Dark Tint?
Polarized vs. Nonpolarized
Other Features
When to Wear
Eye Protection Tips
It is important to choose the best sunglasses to protect your eyes from the damaging effects ofultraviolet (UV) radiationfrom the sun.As much as style matters, you need to select sunglasses with both the appropriateUV protectionand frame to safeguard your eyes from all directions.
This article explains why sunglasses are so important to your eye health and which features you should be looking for when shopping for protective eyewear. It also describes when and where sunglasses are a “must” and other ways to protect your eyes and vision.
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Protecting Against UV Radiation
As we get older, our eyes undergo physiological changes that can cause vision problems such asage-related macular degeneration (AMD),glaucoma, andcataracts. UV light is one of the key factors that can contribute to the onset, progression, and severity of these eye diseases.
UV light, which comes mainly from the sun and is not visible to the eye, consists of three bands of radiation:
Sunglasses designed to block 100% of UVA and UVB rays can help protect your eyes from UV damage.
General wisdom would suggest that dark sunglasses offer better UV protection than light sunglasses, but that isn’t necessarily so.
While very dark lenses might seem the rational choice, without the appropriate UV filters, they only block visible bands of light, not UV light.
Ultimately, the degree of darkness or thecolor or tintof your lenses is not what protects your eyes. Rather, it is the ability of the lenses to block 100% of UVA and UVB radiation. Even clear lenses have the capability to do so if they are made of material or coatings that deliver UV400 protection.
What Does UV400 Mean?UV400 refers to a lens’s ability to block out nearly 100% of all UVA and UVB rays, which can have wavelengths of up to 400 nanometers.
What Does UV400 Mean?
UV400 refers to a lens’s ability to block out nearly 100% of all UVA and UVB rays, which can have wavelengths of up to 400 nanometers.
Many people assume thatpolarized lensesare the same thing as UV400 lenses, but that actually isn’t so. Here is the difference:
This shouldn’t suggest that polarized lenses aren’t useful. By filtering reflected light, you can reduce eye strain and maintain clearer vision while driving, skiing, boating, or engaging in other activities in bright light.
Which to Choose?UV400 lenses can be polarized or nonpolarized. While polarized lenses tend to be more expensive, they may be useful if you are sensitive to glare or have lighter color eyes (which are generally more sensitive to bright light).
Which to Choose?
UV400 lenses can be polarized or nonpolarized. While polarized lenses tend to be more expensive, they may be useful if you are sensitive to glare or have lighter color eyes (which are generally more sensitive to bright light).
When shopping for sunglasses, it is best to consider them as an investment in your eye health. This doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune, but you shouldn’t skimp on protective features that extend beyond the lenses themselves.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the best sunglasses offer the following four features:
In addition, pick sunglasses that are comfortable and fit your face properly, because you’ll be inclined to wear them more.
The AAO recommends wearing sunglasses anytime you are outdoors, particularly in the summer when the level of UV radiation is triple that of other times of the year. In addition, you should wear sunglasses whenever on the water or in the snow when light rays are reflected.
Older adults with cataracts and those who are light-sensitive may find that they need to wear sunglasses more than they used to. This is because light passing through agingcorneasandlensesis scattered to a greater degree. This scattering effect can be alleviated with sunglasses with polarized lenses.
Post-Cataract Surgery
Duringcataract surgery, a new intraocular lens (IOL) is inserted to replace your old cloudy lens. Most intraocular lenses are designed today to absorb UV light.
However, if you had cataract surgery some time ago, your intraocular lens may not be designed to the current standard. As such, you should continue to wear sunglasses that offer UV400 protection.
If unsure, speak with yourophthalmologist. Or, better yet, continue wearing UV400 lenses that can at the very least protect the untreated eye.
AAO RecommendationThe AAO recommends wearing protective sunglasses after cataract surgery even for people who have UV-absorbing intraocular lenses.
AAO Recommendation
The AAO recommends wearing protective sunglasses after cataract surgery even for people who have UV-absorbing intraocular lenses.
Other Ways to Protect Your Eyes
Sunglasses are valuable to the health of your eyes, but there are other forms of eye protection you should also embrace:
A Word From Verywell
Practicing good eye health includes wearing the appropriate eyewear to avoid eye strain, defend against UV light, and slow the progression of aging-related eye diseases. But arguably the most important facet of good eye health is getting regular eye check-ups.
According to the AAO, comprehensive eye exams should be conducted at least every two years for people ages 19 to 64 and yearly for those 65 and over. People at risk of severe eye disease should be seen at least annually.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Behar-Cohen F, Baillet G, de Ayguavives T, et al.Ultraviolet damage to the eye revisited: eye-sun protection factor (E-SPF®), a new ultraviolet protection label for eyewear.Clin Ophthalmol. 2014;8:87–104. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S46189Delcourt, Cécile et al.Lifetime Exposure to Ambient Ultraviolet Radiation and the Risk for Cataract Extraction and Age-Related Macular Degeneration: The Alienor Study.Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci.2014;55(11):7619-7627. doi:10.1167/iovs.14-14471Linetsky M, Raghavan CT, Johar K, et al.UVA light-excited kynurenines oxidize ascorbate and modify lens proteins through the formation of advanced glycation end products: implications for human lens aging and cataract formation.J Biol Chem. 2014;289(24):17111-17123. doi:10.1074/jbc.M114.554410Giannos SA, Kraft ER, Lyons LJ, Gupta PK.Spectral Evaluation of Eyeglass Blocking Efficiency of Ultraviolet/High-energy Visible Blue Light for Ocular Protection.Optom Vis Sci. 2019;96(7):513–522. doi:10.1097/OPX.0000000000001393American Academy of Ophthalmology.What Are Polarized Lenses For?American Academy of Ophthalmology.How to pick the best sunglasses to protect your eyes.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Sunglasses: protection from UV eye damage.Li X, Kelly D, Nolan JM, Dennison JL, Beatty S.The evidence informing the surgeon’s selection of intraocular lens on the basis of light transmittance properties.Eye (Lond). 2017;31(2):258–272. doi:10.1038/eye.2016.266American Macular Degeneration Foundation.Don’t Smoke - It Exacerbates Eye Disease.
Behar-Cohen F, Baillet G, de Ayguavives T, et al.Ultraviolet damage to the eye revisited: eye-sun protection factor (E-SPF®), a new ultraviolet protection label for eyewear.Clin Ophthalmol. 2014;8:87–104. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S46189
Delcourt, Cécile et al.Lifetime Exposure to Ambient Ultraviolet Radiation and the Risk for Cataract Extraction and Age-Related Macular Degeneration: The Alienor Study.Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci.2014;55(11):7619-7627. doi:10.1167/iovs.14-14471
Linetsky M, Raghavan CT, Johar K, et al.UVA light-excited kynurenines oxidize ascorbate and modify lens proteins through the formation of advanced glycation end products: implications for human lens aging and cataract formation.J Biol Chem. 2014;289(24):17111-17123. doi:10.1074/jbc.M114.554410
Giannos SA, Kraft ER, Lyons LJ, Gupta PK.Spectral Evaluation of Eyeglass Blocking Efficiency of Ultraviolet/High-energy Visible Blue Light for Ocular Protection.Optom Vis Sci. 2019;96(7):513–522. doi:10.1097/OPX.0000000000001393
American Academy of Ophthalmology.What Are Polarized Lenses For?
American Academy of Ophthalmology.How to pick the best sunglasses to protect your eyes.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Sunglasses: protection from UV eye damage.
Li X, Kelly D, Nolan JM, Dennison JL, Beatty S.The evidence informing the surgeon’s selection of intraocular lens on the basis of light transmittance properties.Eye (Lond). 2017;31(2):258–272. doi:10.1038/eye.2016.266
American Macular Degeneration Foundation.Don’t Smoke - It Exacerbates Eye Disease.
Aging and Your Eyes. US National Institute on Aging Public Information Sheet.
Sunglasses: Protection from UV Eye Damage. American Academy of Ophthalmology Public Information Sheet.
Sunglasses. Health Canada Public Information Sheet.
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