WASHINGTON — Sunglasses are more than a fashion accessory; they’re a major element of sun safety.
“Sunglasses are crucially important for preventing a number of different eye conditions — certainly cataracts and eye cancers are high up on the list,” says Dr. Thomas Yau, an ophthalmologist in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Yau says ultraviolet light can speed up the development of cataracts and has been linked to a number of eyelid cancers, including melanoma.
The good news is, excellent eye protection doesn’t have to cost a lot.
“A $500 pair of sunglasses isn’t going to get you better UV protection than a $20 pair,” says Yau, noting what really counts is the percentage of UV blockage the sunglasses provide.
The key is the little UV certification seal usually found on one of the lenses. Yau says a UV400, which provides 100 percent protection, is ideal.
He says children need sunglasses as much as adults — perhaps more so. Younger people in general have a clearer lens in each eye, meaning more light is able to get in.
People with lighter eyes are also more sensitive to ultraviolet light, though Yau stresses those with dark eyes also need protection.
One of the biggest myths surrounding sunglasses is that tinted contact lenses will do the job.
Yau says people who wear tinted contacts actually have to be a little more vigilant about wearing shades. He explains that when someone wears tinted contacts, “your pupil may be a little bit bigger and then more light can get to the back of the eye.”
