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Think safety, not just fashion, with sunglasses

Tribune file photo by FRED BELLET (2008)

Make sure your sunglasses block both UVA and UVB light to protect your eyes.

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Tampa Tribune staff

Published: July 5, 2009

Now that summer is upon us, it's time to get serious about sunglasses. Sure, you can pick up a pair at your local dollar store. Or you can hit up that fancy shop at International Plaza. Either way, there are some basic things you need to look for when shopping for sunglasses.

LENS QUALITY: High-end sunglasses use optical-quality glass or plastic for the lenses. A $5 pair might use any old piece of plastic. The way to tell if the cheap glasses are going to cause a problem is to look through the lenses at straight lines (e.g. on the ceiling). Then move your head. If you see the lines distorting, waving or curving as move, the lenses are bad.

TINTING: The color and density of tinting is the reason you buy sunglasses, and it is especially important in certain environments because the tinting can prevent eye damage. You may have heard of snow blindness. So much light reflects off the snow into your eyes that it damages the retina. The same can happen on white sand beaches and near water. At a good sunglass retailer, you can see different levels of tinting from 70 percent to 97 percent.

UV PROTECTION: You need to look for glasses that block 100 percent of both UVA and UVB light. Without UV protection, your eyes will be damaged by UV light.

POLARIZATION: This is another technique for blocking light, and it is especially effective on glare. Polarized lenses can eliminate a great deal of glare by selectively filtering it out.

SCRATCH RESISTANCE: Plastic lenses are especially susceptible to scratching. But a film of diamondlike carbon on the lenses can almost completely eliminate scratches.

COATINGS: When used on the inside of the lenses, antireflective coatings eliminate back-reflections in very bright environments.

MIRRORED: This is strictly a matter of taste because there is no advantage to mirrored lenses. One problem with many mirrored lenses is that they scratch easily.

FRAMES: These need to be the right size for your face. If they are too large or too small, they will slip off. Spring-loaded temples can give your glasses a tighter fit and may help protect them against damage. The frame will also control the size and shape of the lenses. For example, wrap-around frames can provide more protection for your peripheral vision. Try on many different styles and see what you like best. If you are spending a lot of money for glasses, look for some kind of frame warrantee or damage guarantee.

Source: HowStuffWorks.com

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