Sunglasses are a must for summer, the question is which ones to buy and what to look for.
Why should you buy sunnies that have UV protection? UV rays can damage the skin of the eyelid, the cornea, lens and other parts of the eye. UV exposure also contributes to the development of particular types of cataracts and potentially, macular degeneration (Dr. Dennis Robertson, Ophthalmologist, Mayo Clinic). So wearing sunnies is not just about stopping the glare, but safeguarding your eyes for the future.
When I think of UV protection and sunglasses, an image of those wrap-around’s with the side windows comes into my mind, however, there are fashionable options for Summer 13/14.
When shopping for sunnies, Professor Stephen Dain, acting chair of the S-053 Sunglasses Committee for Standards Australia, suggests to look for:
- A label with a lens category
- A description of that category
- The details of the importer and distributor
Look for a lens category of 3 or above, this provides the best protection for your eyes. All sunnies sold in Australia must be tested and labelled according to the Australia and New Zealand standard (AS/NZS 1067:200). Therefore, go through the information on the swing tag and look for the lens category and the importer and distributor information – this will let you know that the company is reputable and the rating is legitimate.
If a pair of sunnies does not have a lens category on it, it probably means that there is little or no UV protection. If the lens category is a 0 or 1, this will provide limited protection and are classed as Fashion Spectacles, not sunglasses.
A category 2 or 3 provides good UV protection and can be worn for driving, however, category 3 only allows 8-18% of light through, whereas category 2 allows 18-43% through.
A pair of category 4 sunglasses provide optimal UV protection and very high glare reduction; these sunnies should not be worn whilst driving and are usually worn for specific purposes (http://www.sova.com.au/products-information/85-about-sunglasses-lens-standards-.html).
Armed with this information, I had a search around the web for Summer 13/14 sunnies that met the above requirements. I was surprised at the number of sunglasses available that had a lens category of 3. From Cancer Council to Prada, I found a range of sunglasses from $39.95 to $410.
So when you head to the shops to purchase a new pair of sunnies, take a second to look at the label and give your eyes a little bit of love this summer.
Sha-de Sun Protection 