Why you need protective sunglasses

The sun can do some serious damage to your eyes. Here’s a list of potential risks:

• Just one day in the sun can lead to a burned cornea, which can cause temporary loss of vision.
• Cumulative sun exposure can contribute to certain types of cataracts, which also lead to vision problems.
• UV light can damage the retina, causing an eye disorder called macular degeneration. This disorder is actually one of the major causes of blindness in older Americans, medical correspondent Emily Senay, M.D., tells CBS News.
• Excessive sun exposure can lead to skin cancer of the lids and around the eyes.
• The sun can prematurely age the skin surrounding your eyes, resulting in crow’s feet.

What to look for

You might be more familiar with what to look for in a sunscreen than you are about finding a pair of safe sunglasses. But being an informed consumer means you’ll pick the right pair and protect your eyes. Remember that not all sunglasses are created equal. Here’s a list of facts to make searching out sunglasses a successful — and simple — task.

• Broad-spectrum protection. The label should say that the sunglasses block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays, recommends the American Academy of Ophthalmology. If the label says “UV absorption up to 400 nanometers,” according to Dr. Senay, that’s the same as 100 percent UV absorption — which again is what you want.
• False labels. Skip sunglasses that say “UV absorbing,” “cosmetic” or "blocks most UV light” or any pair that doesn’t specify the level of protection. According to LiveScience, such terms “mean nothing,” writes Bad Medicine columnist Christopher Wanjek. “These are just wiggle words to get around the loose FDA regulations.”
• Lens color. It’s a common misconception that darker-tinted lenses give better sun protection than lighter lenses. Interestingly, some doctors even suggest gray-tinted sunglasses because, according to the CBS News article, “it reduces light intensity without altering the color of objects, providing the most natural color vision.”
• Specialized lenses. Polarized lenses don’t offer sun protection but they do reduce glare. Another type of lens on the market is the blue-blocker lens. According to Wanjek, these lenses block potentially harmful blue light waves, which are “just below ultraviolet radiation on the electromagnetic spectrum.” He says that this might be important because scientists aren’t sure about the possible risk of blue light waves. He suggests that skiers, boaters and pilots wear these sunglasses since they’re out in the sun for so long. Plus, ophthalmologist Dennis Robertson, M.D., on Mayo Clinic, says that blue-blockers make far-away objects easier to see.

But there’s some debate about their usefulness. According to MSNBC, scientific studies have yet to show that blue-blockers protect against potentially dangerous blue wavelengths. And most experts view these glasses as a personal choice. Also, not all blue-blockers offer UV protection and they may make traffic lights tougher to see, cautions Dr. Robertson.

• Price and quality. When it comes to sunglasses, price doesn’t count. Whether your sunglasses cost $10, $50 or $350, the price doesn’t ensure adequate protection. For instance, when MSNBC tested sunglasses from a national sporting goods store, they found that the $20 pair lived up to their sun-protective claims. You still need to check the label, and make sure your sunglasses shield your eyes properly.

Other facts to keep in mind

• Just like your skin, you can damage your eyes year-round and even on cloudy days. In fact, MSNBC reports that UV rays on a cloudy day are just as powerful as rays on a clear day.
• Like lighter skin, people with lighter eyes are more susceptible to sun damage. For blue-eyed individuals, eyes can get damaged faster and the damage can be more severe, says Dr. Senay.
• Unsure if your sunglasses offer sufficient sun protection? Unfortunately, sunglasses aren’t stringently regulated. Plus, recent research says that sunglasses claims can be false, so you might think you’re protected when you’re really endangering your eyes. To double-check that your sunglasses offer the protection they say they do, take them to an optometrist. Most eye doctors have the proper equipment to check how much and what type of wavelength can penetrate your sunglasses.
• Remember that the sun can reflect off the snow, sand and water, so be extra careful when you’re at the beach or on the slopes.
• If you wear prescription glasses, ask to get your glasses coated with a UV-protected material.
• Even if you wear contacts that have sun protection, it’s still important to wear sunglasses.

Wearing sunglasses every day is just as important as bathing your skin in sunscreen. Remember to look for sunglasses that provide 99 to 100 percent UV protection, which you should see clearly stated on the label. If you aren’t sure about your sunglasses’ level of protection, take them to the eye doctor who can check them out.

See also:

Summer’s Top 10 Must-Have Beauty Products

Practicing Smart Sun Care With These 10 Lesser-Known Facts