On bright and sunny days, many people prioritize skin protection with sunscreen… but what about eye protection? Over time, the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause severe damage to your eyes, making UV sunglasses an essential part of long-term eye care.
In this blog, we’ll explore the science behind UV protection in sunglasses, including:
● The importance of UV protection
● How to know if sunglasses have UV protection
● Simple UV tests you can perform on sunglasses you already own
● Recommended UV protection levels and certifications around the world
Let’s get started!
The Types of UV Radiation: UVA and UVB
The sun emits two types of harmful UV rays — UVA and UVB.
UVA radiation accounts for 95% of the UV rays that reach Earth. This type of radiation causes your skin to darken to try and prevent damage — A.K.A. what we call a “tan.” For this reason, UVA radiation is the primary type of radiation used in tanning beds.
UVB radiation accounts for the remaining 5% of UV rays. Despite that seemingly small percentage, UVB radiation is actually more intense than UVA radiation. That’s why sunscreen is designed to protect your skin against UVB rays, specifically.
Importance of UV Protection for Eye Health
At this point, we know that UV radiation harms your skin… but it harms your eyes, too. Both UVA and UVB radiation can damage your eyes and impact your eyesight.
They can also contribute to (and/or cause) the development of eye health issues including:
● Cataracts — A condition that clouds your eye’s natural lens, causing blurry, hazy, and generally impaired vision.
● Photokeratitis — A condition that impacts your cornea and conjunctiva, much like a sunburn on your eye.
● Macular Degeneration — A condition that causes central vision loss due to a damaged part of the retina called the macula.
● Pterygium — A growth of flesh-like tissue on the conjunctiva that, if large enough, can impede your vision.
Wearing sunglasses with 100% UV protection helps reduce the risk of these conditions by filtering out harmful UVA and UVB rays.
How to Tell if Sunglasses Have UV Protection
Sunglasses with UV protection are vital for maintaining your eye health, but not all sunglasses offer the same level of UV protection. That’s why it’s vital to know how to evaluate the UV protection level of a pair of sunglasses before you trust them to protect your eyes.
Here are a few simple ways to tell if sunglasses have sufficient UV protection:
1. Look for a UV label
High-quality sunglasses typically have a label or sticker indicating the level of UV protection offered. You want to see a sticker that says "100% UV protection" or "UV absorption up to 400 nm.” This means the sunglasses in question offer 100% protection from all UV light.
2. Check the product description
If you're buying sunglasses online, the product description should have information about UV protection. Look for a product description mentioning “100% UV protection" or "UV absorption up to 400 nm” to ensure your sunglasses will offer 100% protection from UV light.
3. Ask the retailer
Whether you’re shopping in-store or online, you can always ask the retailer about the UV protection levels of certain sunglasses. Many retailers have equipment to test UV protection on the spot, or they can simply reference internal product information from the manufacturer.
4. Purchase from reputable brands
Well-known, reputable eyewear brands often include appropriate UV protection in their sunglasses by default, so you don’t have to question their protection levels. On the other hand, cheaper eyewear brands may not offer the same reliability, so do your due diligence.
How to Test if Sunglasses Have UV Protection at Home
If you already own a pair of sunglasses but aren’t sure about their UV protection capabilities, you might wonder if you can test UV protection levels at home… and the answer is yes!
While your at-home test won’t offer results as precise as a lab or manufacturer could, you can still get a general gauge of your current sunglasses protection levels with these simple methods.
Test with a UV flashlight
Take your sunglasses, a UV flashlight, and a UV-activated object (like a blacklight sticker) into a dark room. Shine the UV flashlight on the object to see its level of glow. Then, shine the UV flashlight again, this time through your sunglasses. If the sunglasses dim the object’s glow (or make it disappear completely), they’re blocking UV rays (although you won’t know the exact percentage of protection).
Test with a UV-sensitive card
Place a UV-sensitive card in the direct sunlight and cover part of it with your sunglasses. If the part of the UV-sensitive card covered by your sunglasses remains unchanged, your sunglasses are blocking UV rays and providing protection (although again, you won’t know the exact percentage of protection).
Observe how your eyes feel
You can also do a quick self-observation to see how your sunglasses make your eyes feel (although this is the most subjective method of the three). If your eyes feel strained or tired after wearing your sunglasses in bright light, they’re probably not offering sufficient protection against UV rays. In this case, you should definitely replace your sunglasses.
Recommended UV Levels and Certifications
Depending on where you live in the world, there are different regulations, recommendations, and certifications for UV protection in sunglasses. Choosing sunglasses that meet these UV protection requirements is important for maximizing your eye protection and ensuring you can trust the brand you’re buying from to follow best practices.
Here are a few UV protection recommendations (by continent) to help you understand what UV numbers to look for on your next pair of sunglasses.
● North America — “100% UV protection;” “UV400” rating; “Protection up to 400 nm”
● Europe — “CE” or “UV400” mark
● Australia — Lens category value “3” or “4”
Wrap Up
Sunglasses are more than just a fashion statement — they’re a tool for protecting your eyes and maintaining your health. Equipped with new knowledge about UV protection and tips for evaluating adequate UV protection, you can make better-informed decisions about purchasing and wearing sunglasses that protect your eyes in the way they deserve.
And remember: choosing sunglasses with certified 100% UV protection means enjoying even the brightest, sunniest days without eye-health worries!
