New York, NY (March 1999) -- Cheap sunglasses may cost
you only $5.00, but are the effects of harmful UV rays more than you can
afford? On the other hand, can a $200 pair of sunglasses really guarantee
sufficient protection from the sun?
According to Calvin Roberts, M.D., an ophthalmologist at New York Weill
Cornell Center of New York Presbyterian Hospital, there is no certain way
for consumers to be sure they are getting ultraviolet or UV protection
from the sun from their sunglasses--even if they are labeled "UV absorbing"
or UV blocking:
"There is no government regulating power for the
classification of sunglasses," said Dr. Roberts. As a
result, companies can sometimes get away with
misrepresenting how much protection they offer. And unfortunately,
consumers sometimes assume all
sunglasses have protection if they are dark in color.
Dr. Roberts advises that consumers buy sunglasses from reputable companies
that they have heard of through advertising or their physician's recommendation.
"If you are paying only a few dollars for glasses on the street, they may
look good, but chances are they are offering you no health benefit," said
Dr. Roberts.
According to Dr. Roberts, everyone should be aware of their exposure
to the sun and sunglasses are an important protector. Not only can
sunglasses enhance appearance, but they provide a way of blocking harmful
rays that in severe cases can cause permanent damage to the eyes in the
form of cataracts and retinal degeneration.
Dr. Roberts advises that consumers should be aware of the following:
* Light colored eyes, such as blues and greens, are more sensitive
to the sun than darker eye shades.
* African-Americans are less sun sensitive and less likely to
suffer from negative sun effects than Asians. Caucasians have the most
sun sensitive eyes.
* Individuals who wear contact lenses are least likely to want
to wear any form of sunglasses. However, sunglasses are helpful from
preventing the drying effect most contact lens wearers get from warm wind.
* There is no correlation between the darkness of
sunglasses and their UV protection.
* Automobile windshield tints are not a replacement for sunglasses.
Windshields screen out glare but do not absorb UV rays.
* Parents should be aware of the need to keep infant's eyes shaded.
And, once they are old enough to like to wear sunglasses, parents should
not hesitate to purchase UV protected sunglasses for their children.
