Sunglasses are meant for more than just being a trendy accessory - they protect your eyes from the sun. No one enjoys squinting while driving or walking around on a sunny day and having a good pair of shades on keep your eyes from harsh glare. If you don’t wear sunglasses often, it’s important that you do and if you are an avid sunglasses wearer, it’s vital that you know if your shades are giving your eyes proper protection.

Sunglasses have been a staple of style and trends for decades. From rappers to wealthy socialites, wearing sunglasses - day or night - has influenced many to buy their own pair. In many ways this is a good thing because the more people get used to wearing sunglasses, the better their chances are for protecting their eyesight. The downside is that many fail to realize the important of sunglasses and how they protect their eyes in the first place.

Not only do sunglasses shield your eyes from the sting of the sun but like sunscreen, sunglasses also keep harmful UV rays from your eyes. Cataracts can develop from excessive sun exposure, which can lead to near-sightedness and other eye problems. Other issues that can be caused by too much direct sunlight include photokeratitis (a painful eye condition), snow blindness (a type of sunburn that occurs within the eye), and various types of eye cancers.

Eye cancer is not to be taken lightly. There are various types of eye cancers, with tumors and painful cysts being the most common. These can be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Even if you have a non-cancerous growth, these can be very uncomfortable to deal with and often need to be surgically removed.

As with applying sunscreen during the winter months, sunglasses should be worn year-round. If you’re skiing, snowboarding or doing other winter related sports, this also calls for appropriate eyewear, which includes sunglasses when you’re not out on the slopes. The sun bounces right off of the snow or water and can still cause significant damage to the eyes if they aren’t protected. So don’t take any chances, no matter what the weather looks like (unless it’s raining or it’s nighttime of course). Children are also prone to eye damage from the sun so buy your kids a good pair of sunglasses and teach them to use it whenever they are outdoors.

When shopping for sunglasses, don’t worry about choosing a pair based on how much UV protection it offers. This can be confusing for some people, often causing them to pay more than they should. The majority of sunglasses sold are manufactured with the appropriate level of UV protection/blockage so as long as the pair you’re thinking about purchasing has a label that states it offers UV blockage, you’re good to go. However, you should avoid buying sunglasses from vendors on the street or anyplace outside of a department store or regular store. Chances are these sunglasses aren’t made with quality UV protection or may not even offer any at all. So don’t be fooled by the cheap price tag on a fancy frame.   

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