While the perfect pair of sunglasses can complete your look, they also play a crucial role in protecting your eyes.
“It’s so important to protect your eyes from the sun because exposure to UV rays can increase your risk for cataracts, retinal damage and potentially even eye cancers. You want to make sure you’re protecting those eyes anytime you’re outside or potentially exposed to the sun and UV radiation,” explained Dr. Nicole Bajic, a surgical ophthalmologist with Cleveland Clinic.
When picking out your sunglasses, Bajic said, a dark lens or high price tag doesn’t necessarily offer the best protection for your eyes.
It’s more important to look for a pair that has 100% UV protection.
You should see this designation on the packaging or sometimes it’s labeled as UV 400.
Bajic added larger frames with the appropriate UV protection offer the best coverage and help protect the skin around your eyes as well.
When shopping, you may also see polarized lenses.
“Polarized lenses reduce glare, which can be helpful when driving or playing certain sports by cutting down on the glare you see,” Bajic said.
Above all, Bajic stressed you still need to make sure polarized lenses also offer 100% UV protection.