Are your sunglasses ACTUALLY protective?
With our harsh Australian sun it’s vital that we protect our eyes, which like our skin is susceptible to harmful UV rays. Long-term exposure to UV rays can lead to serious eye damage, including cataracts and cancer, while short-term complaints include eye sun burn, swelling and irritation. The best way to protect your eyes is wearing sunglasses but not all sunglasses are created equally – and cost or darkness of shades has nothing to do with quality. Here are five things to consider when purchasing your sunnies so you know they are actually protecting your eyes!
Numbers matter
When shopping for sunglasses, check the swing tag. All sunglasses sold in Australia are tested and labelled according to a five-category classification. Look for categories two, three or four, which guarantee sufficient UV protection.
Lens category 0: Fashion spectacles
These are not sunglasses. They provide limited UV protection and very low sun-glare reduction.
Lens category 1: Fashion spectacles
Like category zero, these are not sunglasses. They provide limited sun-glare reduction and UV protection. These are not suitable for driving at night.
Lens category 2: Sunglasses
These sunglasses provide a medium level of sun-glare reduction and good UV protection.
Lens category 3: Sunglasses
These sunglasses will provide a good level of UV protection and a high level of sun-glare reduction.
Lens category 4: Special-purpose sunglasses
These special purpose sunglasses provide a very high level of sun-glare reduction and good UV protection. Lens category four sunglasses must not be used when driving at any time.
EPF rating
The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency has developed an eye protection factor (EPF) where sunglasses that comply with the above standards can be assigned an EPF rating from one to 10.
Sunglasses with EPF values of nine and 10 block almost all UV radiation.
The right fit
A good level of UV protection won’t matter if your sunnies don’t fit properly. The best types are close fitting, wrap-around styles that will reduce amount of sunlight infiltrating from the sides. Remember, UV radiation rays can reach our eyes in many ways besides the sun – especially through reflective glare from water, clouds, roads and passing cars.
Polarised lenses
Polarised lenses reduce glare by filtering out reflected sunlight but they don’t offer UV protection. Make sure you check the label to ensure its providing adequate UV protection.
Lens colour
Think the darker the lenses the better the protection? Super-dark shades might work for going incognito but they don’t provide better sun safety. For the most part, the colour of the lenses doesn’t make a difference in sun protection.