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Stylish Sunglasses for Fashion and Functionality
Posted on Sep 16, 2013 by Bridget Greenlee (G+)
How to find the best fashionable frames with function
Dangers of the Sun
It should not come as any surprise that the same harsh rays that can burn human skin and cause cancer are also dangerous to the sensitive eye area. Still, the eyes are often neglected when it comes to sun care. After all, even a devoted sunscreen user may forget sunglasses or be tricked into wearing utterly ineffectual shades. And Summer is not the only dangerous time of year. Snow and water actually reflect much more sun than sand does, so fans of winter sports need to be aware of eye protection as well. Like the skin, the eye’s lens and cornea can get sunburned; and that’s just one risk of unprotected eyes. Cataracts, cancer in the eyelids and skin around the eyes, and macular degeneration that can cause blindness are dangers that can happen from repeated exposure to the sun over time.
How Sunglasses Help
Sunglasses can range from very effective to completely useless, as far as eye protection goes, and the price range is not necessarily a good way to judge this. There is no standard of regulation or governing body dictating the effectiveness of sunglasses, so it is up to the consumer to know what he is purchasing. And contrary to what logic might dictate, price is not a good predictor of quality.
Since the dangers to the eyes, as to the skin, are UVA, UVB, and UVC rays, it is important that sunglasses specifically mention blocking those rays. Not all UV rays are the same though. UVA rays are the least powerful but they penetrate more deeply than UVB rays. UVB rays are high energy and have the potential to cause the most damage to the eyes. UVC rays are the most powerful rays of the three.
A sunglasses label should mention at least 98 percent UV protection or 98 percent blockage of UVA and UVB rays. If the label in unspecific or vague about UV protection, the sunglasses are probably no good. Naturally, the best protection comes from glasses that block 100 percent of UV rays (which might be phrased as blocking 400 nanometers of UV radiation).
The size and shape of the glasses themselves matters too. The more surface area covered by glasses, the better. This means that wrap-around styles are the best, but there is a good use for those trendy, gigantic frames too. The bigger, the better! When choosing sunglasses, make sure not to be fooled by the lens’ color. Gray, orange, yellow, blue – all of these colors may have the same protection. The UV rating is a much more reliable way to choose a pair of sunnies, rather than looking at color alone.
Eye-Friendly Designer Sunglasses
Style does not have to be sacrificed for safety, but it is important to make sure that style isn’t the only factor in choosing a pair of sunglasses. There are some companies that are committed to making protective as well as fashionable eyewear.
- Oakley sunglasses (www.oakley.com) use a material called Plutonite that filters out 100 percent of UVA, UVB and UVC rays. The lenses have this material built into them so it cannot wear or scratch off, making eyes unknowingly vulnerable. Oakley sunglasses also protect against High Energy Visible (or blue light) wavelengths that have been linked to eye damage as well. This also helps protect against glare. Polarized sunglasses are the ones to look for to fight glare that can potentially be dangerous, especially if driving, boating or navigating a ski hill, because the glare can hide objects and make it hard to see.
- Ray-Ban (www.ray-ban.com), another popular brand, also ensures that 100 percent of their sunglass lenses block UVA rays, UVB rays, and harmful blue lights. They also have some glasses with polarized lenses, helpful for blocking reflections while driving and being active around water or snow. Plus, Ray-Ban has tons of popular styles and shapes of frames to choose from.
- ebay has a whole page dedicated to 100 percent UV protection sunglasses, with a variety of designer brands rotating at any given time including Michael Kors, Prada, IZOD, Liz Claiborne and Bebe. This can be a good place to find a deal on safe, designer sunglasses.
Many popular sunglasses brand websites have a page that lets shoppers know about the safety of the lenses. It’s a good idea to pre-shop online where this information is available, so that you’re not tempted by a good sale on unsafe sunglasses. It might take a little digging as some designer websites don’t list too many details but your eyes will thank you for it!
Beware Knockoffs
While the price is much more appealing, cheaper, designer knockoff sunglasses or any others that don’t offer UV protection can actually hurt eyes. The colored lenses trick the eye into letting its guard; then, when you relax your eye rather than naturally squinting, more surface area is exposed to sun damage. Even if you find a stylish pair of knockoffs that look just like their designer counterparts, don’t be fooled into thinking UV protection comes standard. When in doubt, a cheap pair of glasses that claims to have 100 percent UV protection can always be taken to an optometrist for testing, to ensure that claim is true. But remember, price doesn’t dictate protection, so do your research and this summer, reach for fashionable frames that are functional too.
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