Today there are so many styles and colors of sunglassses at the sales counter. Often we get too caught up trying to find a pair that fit our face, look good, and also fit our budget. But with all the choices we may be forgetting to choose a pair of sunglasses that actually help protect our eyes. That is what they are for, right?
Sunglasses are recommended to protect our eyes from harmful UV light rays from the sun. UV light can damage the most important areas of the eye, the retina and macula. Both the retina and macula are responsible for converting light into a nerve signals that travel to the brain where they are converted to the images we 'see'.
So the most important factor to take into consideration when buying a pair of sunglasses: Do they block UV light? Some glasses may designate that they block UV-B or UV-A light more specifically. Blocking UV light can prevent damage to the retina and protect against age related conditions such as age related macular degeneration.
The next characteristic that you should look for has to do with the color of the lens. These days sunglasses come in all color shades including pink, orange, yellow, amber, blue, and black. According to researchers at Columbia University it is best to avoid blue tinted sunglasses and instead choose a pair with yellow or amber lens.
Blue light is known to damage the retina the greatest. Whereas yellow and amber light cause the least amount of long term damage to the retina. Wearing sunglasses with blue lenses can actually filter out the other light colors and allow more blue light to enter the eye where it concentrates in the macula and retina.
Yellow and amber lens filter out the most blue light of any color shade. These lens are the best if choosing a colored lens. As well dark lens sunglasses protect against retinal damage that can be caused by all colors of light.
A final characteristic to look for when choosing a pair of sunglasses; do the shades cover a significant amount of the eye? Sun shades also come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some lens may be too small to provide a significant benefit and can only be considered a fashion statement. Make sure the eye is completely covered by the lens with some overlap to block light from the periphery.
Keeping these three pointers in mind when choosing your next pair of sunglasses can make a difference in the lifetime of your eyes. Long term damage from the sunlight cannot be avoided unless you remain inside everyday. But reducing the daily assault is easy with the proper choice in sunglasses.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on June 30, 2006 07:47 PM
