Rock Your Favorite Sunnies

Rock your favorite sunnies today and every day as June 27th is National Sunglasses Day, which helps spread the word about the importance of UV protection. 

According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), “only 28 percent of consumers reported UV (ultraviolet)  protection as one of the most important factors to consider when purchasing new sunglasses.” Not only are sunglasses a fashion statement, but they also serve a very important purpose. 

Just as the sun causes damage to our skin, it also can have detrimental effects on the eyes. A variety of short and long term eye problems such as photokeratitis, photoconjunctivitis, cataracts, squamous cell cancer of the conjunctiva, and macular degeneration can result from high doses of UV radiation.

Follow these tips to choose the right pair of sunglasses to shield your eyes from harmful rays:

• Look for sunglasses that block at least 99% of ultraviolet rays, both UVA and UVB.
• Lenses should be gray, green, or brown and the larger the lenses, the better.
• Wrap-around sunglasses provide an extra measure of protection.
• Snowboarders and skiers should always wear tinted goggles, as UV light bounces off snow even on the cloudiest of days.
• Polarized sun lenses provide excellent glare-free vision, enhanced contrast vision, 100% UV protection, outstanding color perception, and reduce eye fatigue 
• Sunglasses purchased online, from a department store, or a street vendor may not provide important UV protection.
• Purchase from an expert. The best shades are those purchased from an optometrist or optician. This ensures the sunglasses have the appropriate amount of UV protection and are best suited for your needs.

The Eye Institute’s (TEI) highly skilled opticians can help you find the perfect pair of shades. For more information, visit TEI’s Optical Center.