When you choose sunglasses to protect your eye, it is important that the glasses provide some amount of UV protection. The level of protection offered by sunglasses varies. So make sure to check the UV absorption level before making a choice. Many users will pick up just any glasses they come across just because they believe that all ‘sunglasses’ absorb UV rays.

Multiple Names for Sunglasses

The licensing authorities only regulate eyewear companies up to the level of labeling. But sunglasses are marketed under a number of pseudonyms including:

  • Sun blockers
  • Sunware
  • Eyeware
  • Polarized glasses

These glasses, because they are marketed under different names, may not provide any UV protection at all because the regulating authorities don’t see them technically as ‘sunglasses.’ You will also come across glasses which are referred to as cosmetic sunglasses but they offer only around 70% UV protection.

This is why you should be careful when choosing sunglasses that provide UV absorption.

What to Look for in UV Protecting Sunglasses?

If you need serious sun protection, it should be clear to you that all sunglasses cannot offer the desired safety. Follow these tips to ensure that you are getting genuine UV protection:

  • Just a label, “absorbs UV” doesn’t mean that you will get protection from the radiations. Instead choose glasses with labels that mention a specific figure such as UV 400 or UV absorption 99%-100%.
  • If you see dark-colored lenses, they don’t mean that UV protection is assured. Keep in mind that the UV-protestation layer on lenses is actually a clear material. So the lens color doesn’t have any relation with the level of shielding against UV radiations.
  • Polarized lenses don’t refer to ultraviolet protection. They just reduce the amount of glare and enable clearer vision.
  • Select glasses made from lenses which have undergone the process of optical grounding. This helps in reducing distortion. Avoid pressed plastic, as it can distort your vision.
  • Large and wraparound frames with UV protection will help in protecting against more amount of UV radiation than small frames.

Consider these factors when choosing the right sunglasses to protect your eyes from ultraviolet rays. Not everything that says ‘sunglasses’ will shield your eyes against the harmful rays. Besides, price may be a factor in determining the quality of the glasses, it doesn’t have much to do with UV protection.

Keep all these points in mind when it comes to finding sunglasses that offer effective UV protection. Kanda Optical offers complete range of sunglasses, all designed and labeled to provide different levels of protection against the sun.