Available in many shapes and styles, sunglasses are more than fashion accessories. They are important tools to protect your eyes from the sun’s glare and sun damage!
At B&VIIT Eye Center, we offer patients a wide selection of the best sunglass wear. Everyone can find a pair that works for them! To help you make your choice, B&VIIT’s eye expert Dr. Ryu will be giving you 5 tips to finding the perfect pair of sunglasses that fit your fashion, corrective vision, and sun protection needs!
Keep it 100
The most important and the most basic thing to look out for when buying sunglasses is checking for UV protection. Ultraviolet rays are light that enters the eyes very deeply. Consequently, they can have a fatal effect on cataracts and macular degeneration. Not all sunglasses block 100 percent of UV rays. So check for a sticker or tag that indicates “100% UV protection” or if a UV protection index written next to the frame.
Choosing the right tint
Grey: The most common tint we can find in sunglasses. Not only are grey lenses a safe fashion choice, but they also have the least impact on color change, allowing you to reduce glare very effectively.
Brown: The advantage of brown lens is that they increase contrast sensitivity. Since brown is a color that makes things clear, our eyes have a good depth of focus. They make the most effective driving sunglasses!
Red & Pink: These sunglasses are effective color for outdoor activities. The red lenses block reflections from the surface of the water when you’re at the beach or when you’re skiing.
Green: We recommend this color for golf lovers. If you wear green sunglasses and go out to the golf course, you have the advantage of being able to see the undulating greens more accurately.
Choosing the color of your lenses really comes down to your unique lifestyle, including your daily activities, your typical environment, and your style!
Opt for polarized lenses
Polarized, or anti-glare lenses, work by preventing light glare from hitting you directly in the eye.
The rays of light reflected off the snow or when you are on water can cause your eyes heavy strain. For this reason, wearing polarized sunglasses can act as a filter for what’s being reflected directly into your eyes. For those who exercise or drive a lot, it is a feature you must include. A very simple way to check if the lenses are polarized or not is to look at a bright, reflective light source (e.g., glass, water, or polished metal) with your sunglasses on. If the light increases in intensity when you tilt your head sideways to around 60 degrees, you’re wearing polarized lenses. If there’s no change in quality, they’re just tinted.
Remember, however, polarized lenses aren’t meant to provide UV protection. So make sure the lens you go with offer both!
Style and design
Everyone has a personal preference, but some tips we can give you is for people who need to add prescription to their sunglasses. If you tend to go for the large frames, the perimeter of the lens become too thick and the lens itself also become too big. So, for those who need to add prescription, pick small sized sunglasses as it’s a better way to keep style and vision. Also wear sunglasses that fit the curves of your face well rather than flat sunglasses since they can help block the reflection of light and block wind and foreign substances.
Price
Cheap sunglasses just aren’t worth the potential damage. They can cause your eyes discomfort for long-term wear. With poor UV protection, easily damaged material, and low-quality optical clarity, a pair of plastic sunglasses simply aren’t advised.
To keep your eyes in great shape this summer (and beyond), check out B&VIIT’s YouTube Channel Dr. Nike’s TMI Lesson on how to choose the right sunglasses.
Turn on the English subtitles and enjoy~ 🙂