Are Cheap Sunglasses Dangerous?

When my brothers and I were small, and we’d go on vacation, my folks would get us whatever fun sunglasses we liked from the carousel at the pharmacy. I think mine had Minnie Mouse on them. Don't know if they necessarily did me any good, but they were cute, and, more importantly to a young family trying to save money, cheap.

Then again, in the era of parachute pants (they’re coming back, by the way – oh, dear!)  ZZ Top and Madonna’s white lace gloves, cheap sunglasses were all the rage. This time, with frames in pink animal prints (my personal favorite) and other trendy deco/vintage looks. Again, I don't know if they were doing my eyes any good, but they were, to a fresh-out-of-college office worker trying to save money, cheap.

I guess funky sunglasses never really went away, and now you can't walk down a single street in Manhattan without seeing a knockoff Oakley kiosk or two, or three, or four.

But are those adorable $20 shades protecting your eyes and all that nasty solar radiation? From the potential for cataracts and macular degeneration? From future melanomas of the cornea or retina?

The answer is…maybe. You have to make sure that they block enough UV radiation, and fortunately, most do. Just steer clear of the ones that don’t. According to Praveena Gupta, an ophthalmologist from the University of Texas, if your shades don't give you enough UV protection, it can be just as harmful as not wearing anything at all (well, on your eyes, that is.) "Your pupils constrict in bright light and dilate in dim light, so when you wear sunglasses, they dilate. Without adequate UV protection, you are letting more of the harmful UV light into your eyes."

So how can you make sure that those cute shades on the rack will be doing you any good?

Check the labels. If your intended sunglasses are labeled with an "ANSI Z80.3” sticker, then you're good to go.

As long as you have that stamp of approval, those $20 shades could be as good for your eyes as the pricier models. It just depends on the fashion statement you want to make and how much money you want to spend.

In addition to UV protection, you may want to look for these other features to help shield your eyes from that nasty summer sun:

1. Bigger is better. Bigger lenses block more radiation, and those wraparound styles or wider arms block more of that sneaky radiation that comes at you from the side.

2. Color is key. Driving? You’ll get better glare protection from a gray/brown or gray/green lens. And don't get caught up in the notion that darker is better. That's not related to its level of sun protection.

3. Polarizing lenses might make a difference... to Baywatch babes. These are best if you're a lifeguard or spend a lot of time at the beach. They reduce glare reflected from water.

4. What about those special coatings? If you want to shell out the bucks for these, they could help in some circumstances. Anti-reflective coatings can help protect against "ghost reflections" and, just like polarizing lenses, a mirrored coating can help in extreme glare conditions, like sitting on the beach or skiing. They aren't just for people watching on the beach or around the pool, folks. Although they help.

5. Prescription lenses -- if, like me, you have been evicted from the cute-shade kiosk and have to go for prescription sunglasses, you can shell out the bucks for lenses that get darker in light, get regular sunglasses made from your old (or new) frames, or, for a cheaper option, get some clip-ons that slide over your regular glasses. They're not as ugly as they used to be -- and some even completely wrap around your regular glasses.

6. For the kiddies, make sure those Sponge Bob or Hannah Montana shades also have adequate protection. Little eyes are much more sensitive to light.

So slather on that sunblock, get out there and have fun in the sun this summer -- but make sure you keep your eyes safe!

(Source: Best Health Magazine)