Sunglasses + San Diego = A good time

Sunglasses + San Diego = A good time

The adventures of a non-glass wearer

By Amy Contizano, ABOC

Living in San Diego, we’re all too familiar with the act of applying sunscreen as we’re spoiled enough to live minutes away from beaches.  So you’re packing up for a day at the beach and you apply sunscreen and you bring more sunscreen along to reapply later, but what about sunscreen for your eyes?  It’s hard to believe, but many people overlook sunglasses.  “Well, I lose my sunglasses all the time so I just buy the cheap ones at the drug store” or “I got these because they were super cute but the tint seems kind of light”.  Does any of that sound familiar?

Sunglasses aren’t just a fashion choice but also a way to provide protection against the dangers of UV radiation.  Think about it, you’re out in Pacific Beach or strolling through our world famous San Diego Zoo and though you’ve applied sunscreen, you can still feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, prompting you to reapply sunscreen to protect yourself.  Do you do the same for your eyes?  Ultraviolet radiation, or UVR, cannot be seen with the naked eye and can cause damage in a number of eye related areas.  In 2013, the Vision Council did a study revealing that 40% of adults don’t wear sunglasses while outdoors, making them susceptible to major ocular issues that can easily be avoided with one simple step.

I’m not trying to get all scare tactics on you by any means.  I just think that this is one of those things that people don’t think about.  I mean, what harm can the sun really do to your eyes?  Well, for starters, the skin around the eyes is quite delicate so not wearing a good pair of sunglasses that are large enough to cover that area could lead to wrinkles and cancer of the eyelids and skin around the eyes.  UVR can also cause cataracts which is the clouding of the lens of the eye.  Benign growths can form on the eye’s surface due to excessive exposure to UVR and patients could also develop photokeratitis.  This condition is also called snow blindness, a temporary yet painful sunburn on the surface of the eye.  Comfortable vision is compromised without having sunglasses to block out the glare created by sunlight reflecting off of various surfaces.

So what exactly do you need to be on the lookout for when searching for that perfect pair of sunglasses that both protects your eyes and makes you look good?  Well, you want to make sure that the lenses are of ophthalmic quality, but what does that mean exactly?  It means the lens is of the same type of quality that is used for prescription lenses unlike the inexpensive lenses used in sunglasses that can be found at drug stores or gas stations.  Because the lenses are of a higher quality, they’ll block 99-100% of both UVA and UVB radiation.   

Another option available for superior sun protection is to do polarized lenses, which reduce much more glare than a traditional sunglass tint would.  A good example of this is that if you were a fisherman and you were standing on the deck of your boat, wearing a lens with a sunglass tint would make things darker and block out the light, but you’d see the reflection of the sun bouncing off of the water’s surface.  Now, if you were wearing a polarized lens, then the glare would be eliminated so dramatically that you’d be able to see down into the water to see the fish. 

At Global Laser Vision, we’re thrilled to provide you with the cutting edge technology of Maui Jim sunglasses.  Their patented polarized lenses give you the best clarity of vision with crisp lines and colors that pop allowing you to see clearly and comfortably even on the brightest, sunniest days as well as on those overcast days when glare is at an all time high.  Maui Jim sunglasses are available in prescription as well and are by far the best lens on the market to protect your eyes.  Here at Global Laser Vision, we introduce new styles frequently.  Stop in to see us and find out what your sunny life in SD can look like through a great pair of sunglasses!

San Diego LASIK Center Global Laser Vision

619-243-2444