Ah, spring! With
winter finally over, we can get out and start enjoying the great outdoors once
again. Make sure you bring your
sunglasses along for the journey!
Think of sunglasses as sunscreen for the eyes. The strong rays of the sun damage your skin
and cause a burn, and this can also be true for eyes. A “welder’s flash” is a quick sunburn on the front
of the eye and is REALLY painful, but
you can also get sunburns on the back of the eye that can be painless yet permanently
blinding. UV exposure also worsens cataracts
and macular degeneration, making sunglasses a must for outdoor adventures.
Polarized lenses are great for people who love to be by the water
– fishermen swear by them! They
eliminate most of the glare from the waves but can also block some digital
displays, so clocks and gas pump readouts can be hard to see with them on. Lenses can instead be tinted to become
sunglasses, which allows for many more choices such as colour, darkness, and
gradient patterns. Colour-changing
lenses like Transitions® combine regular and sunglasses in one pair of glasses, but
don't darken well when driving.
The colour that you choose for your lenses is mostly cosmetic. Some look better with the frame colour while
some people are light-sensitive and so go for dark gray. Certain tints are better for sports where
they enhance the contours of the terrain or make seeing a target easier. A clear coating can instead be put onto lenses
to make them “sunglasses” in terms of UV protection but do not make them dark
at all. Mirrors on the front of lenses
are an option but they’re just for fun, not function.
If you have a higher prescription, then here’s some good news
– your expensive lenses likely have UV protection built in! Sunglasses are still nice to combat
brightness, but they’re not as essential as for those with low or no
prescription.
Frame choice is important, too. Ones that wrap around your face or are over-sized
to prevent sun from getting to your eyes are best. Other than that, it’s just a matter of what
looks the most fabulous on you!
With glasses, you often get what you pay for. Good lens materials and coatings will cause
less visual distortion and strain; however, even cheap sunglasses can protect
your eyes if they are marked with “100% UVA & UVB protection” or very close
to it.
Hopefully the springtime sun is shining right now, so make
sure you protect your eyes to enjoy that sight for a long time to come!
This article is for
informational purposes only. Please
consult a registered eyecare professional to discuss your personal needs.
Copyright 2015 Dr. Sonya Frank
Originally published in the April 2015 Baden Outlook, page 5
Posted by Sonya Frank.
