With warmer days and summer almost here, we are seeing a surge in patients asking questions about sunglasses so I thought I would give everyone a little information.
Sunglasses can be a combination of fashion and function. Patients are more aware than ever of the need to protect their eyes from the harmful rays of the sun and this even includes children. To accommodate this trend, the companies that manufacture sunglasses are providing an outstanding selection of countless styles, shapes and colors and this is where the fashion fun begins! We suggest going with a frame that is large enough to offer the best protection. Keep in mind that protection can also be achieved by using a dress frame and inserting polarized sun lenses.
As for the lenses themselves, a common misconception is that the darker the lens, the more protection that is provided. This is not true. Choosing a lighter or darker lens is simply a matter of personal choice and eye comfort. The same goes for lens color. Gray lenses mute all colors evenly and therefore help maintain the natural color balance, whereas brown or amber lenses may be best to improve contrast. However, these lenses will give everything an amber tone which may or may not be preferable. The real issue is protection from the UV (ultra-violet) rays (which are invisible) so always choose sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection.
Polarized lenses are also a great feature. They are the only lenses that reduce glare as all others simply darken the glare. Polarized lenses are fantastic for water sports, skiing or driving. One place where polarized lenses may not be useful though is for golf as they can make it harder to read the greens.
Finally, many hi-quality lenses have a back-side anti-reflection coating to reduce glare off the back of the lenses. For a more detailed explaination of these products, or to see them demonstrated in person, please feel free to visit our office. Once you have worn glasses with all of these features, you will never want to go back!
As always, I welcome your comments and I look forward to hearing from you.
Dr Ganly
