We all know that sunglasses are must-have accessories.
Whether it’s for poolside lounging or a daytime soiree, no outfit is complete without the perfect pair of sunglasses.
However, sunglasses are not just for looking cool.
Few people know that a simple choice in sunglasses can also protect your eyes and the delicate surrounding skin from harmful UV light, as well as enhance your vision when it matters most.
Your eyesight could be damaged by many common daily dangers, ranging from the sun’s rays and the blue light emitted from your mobile phone to the blinding glare from polarised light and sharp bright-to-dark transitions that can leave you momentarily blinded.
Choosing the right high-quality sunglasses will ensure that you not only capture the right look for any occasion but can also enjoy superior protection against all these eye dangers.
Hawaiian-born Maui Jim PolarizedPlus2 Sunglasses shares four key health benefits of wearing high-quality polarised sunglasses:
Sunscreen for your eyes
The ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) forms of ultraviolet radiation (UV) sun rays are particularly harmful to our eyes. Over-exposure to these two unseen light forms can lead to several serious eye conditions that impair vision, such as cataracts, premature macular degeneration and photokeratitis (sunburn of the cornea). Protecting your eyes from these two dangers means choosing high-quality sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB sun rays effectively.
Skin cancer prevention
The protection of high-quality sunglasses extends to the entire delicate skin area surrounding your eyes, which is also vulnerable to the sun’s harmful UV rays. In fact, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, up to 10% of all skin cancer occurs around the eyes. So, be sure to use sunglasses that offer 100% protection from harmful UV sun rays.
Safe against dangerous blue hues
High Energy Visible violet/blue light rays (HEV), commonly known as blue light, is transmitted by the sun, digital devices and LED lighting. While blue light can help improve memory, elevate mood and even regulate the sleep/wake cycle, our eyes’ natural filters don’t provide sufficient protection against the harmful side of HEV light. As a result, our eyes can sustain cumulative damage due to HEV over-exposure, which has been associated with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). AMD is a condition responsible for more than half of visual impairments! Choosing sunglasses that help block hazardous HEV light is an important safeguard.
Improved vision
Glare is not only blinding and dangerous in situations such as driving or sailing, it also contributes to eye fatigue, which can lead to squinting, watery eyes and even headaches. To protect against glare, look for sunglasses that have a high-efficiency polarisation filter that is built into the lens and is capable of reducing as much as 99.9% of glare.
A quality pair of sunglasses can even improve your eyes’ “dark adaptation", which refers to the time it takes for your eyes to adjust when light conditions change from bright to dark. Spending even a short time in intense sunlight could compromise your dark adaptation and extend the time to adjust from minutes to several hours, affecting your ability to see, for example, when driving through a tunnel or moving from a shady spot under the umbrella to full sun.
When choosing your next pair of sunglasses, be certain to select a high-quality brand that not only looks great, but also blocks 100% of harmful UVA and UVB rays, eliminates 99.9% of harsh glare and manages 95% of HEV, while also improving your view of the world around with enhanced colour, clarity and detail.