Sunglasses important in shielding harmful rays
By Joanne Fox Journal staff writer | Posted: Thursday, June 05, 2008
Megan Moore, an optician at Exact Eye Care in Sioux City, models a pair of sunglasses. (Staff photo by Tim Hynds)
{M3Although fashion may be an aspect, it's not the only reason you should take care to shield your eyes.
The movie stars had the right idea by wearing sunglasses to protect their eyes from the harsh lights of filming. With the varied frames and styles available today, you too can look like a screen legend.
Wearing sunglasses should be a primary concern for everyone no matter the time of the year, but especially during the bright, summer months of June, July and August.
"People better understand today the importance of shielding your eyes from the sun and how the sun can damage the eyes," said Dr. Michael Wadzinski, ophthalmologist with Wadzinski Eye Clinic. "They have become especially knowledgeable about UVA and UVB control."
Sunglasses provide one of the best sources of protection from Ultra Violet (UV) rays. Specifically, you need to protect your eyes from UVA (with wavelengths of 320 to 400 nanometers) and UVB rays (290 to 320). Most sunglasses will indicate that factor on their information tag.
Eye care specialists recommend in order to properly protect your eyes, choose sunglasses that provide at least 99 percent UV protection, Wadzinski said.
"People should not be misled by the color of the lens or the price tag," he stressed. "Both of those can be independent of the ability to block the rays."
In fact, lens tint does not protect you from UV rays and may affect your ability to see correctly, pointed out Julie Freese, optician with Exact Eye Care.
"Colored lenses are particular to certain situations," she explained. "For example, a chocolate lens is good for sunny days and best for driving and golfing. A yellow lens increases contrast and is good in low light conditions and is popular among hunters.
"But you still need to ensure the lens is protecting you from the UV rays," she stressed. "Just because the lens makes things darker doesn't mean it's protecting your eyes."
In fact, just the opposite may be true, said Dr. Chris Hedquist, optometrist at Exact Eye Care.
"When you're in a dark environment, your pupils will get larger," he said. "So, if you're eyes aren't protected correctly, you may well be doing more damage to your eyes with incorrect sunglasses by allowing even more UV rays to enter the pupil."
{M3The eyes have it
{M3The effects of sun damage are being seen in Baby Boomers, Wadzinski said.
"We know that repeated exposure of sun to the eyes will result in cataracts and early-age macular degeneration," he said.
"Snow skiers without sunglasses -- who might have a lot of exposure to reflective light -- can put themselves at risk with a superficial burn on their cornea," he added. "That will resolve itself, like a sunburn, but repeated exposure like that to the eyes will ultimately become problematic."
Once the damage is done, except for cataracts that can be corrected with surgery, it's irreversible.
"Genetics will play a part, but we are seeing more and more early-age macular degeneration," noted Wadzinski who's been practicing for 14 years. "That's why it's so important to start having kids wear sunglasses that protect them."
Wadzinski pointed out there are $10 sunglasses available that are better than some brand-name, expensive glasses.
"Lots of times you're paying for the name," he observed. "It has little to do with quality."
Large lenses that fit close to the eyes are best and wraparounds are better, Freese said. The only challenge comes from adding a prescription to the lens.
"People love the big glasses," she said. "But sometimes those don't work well for a prescription because distortion will occur when the large frame tries to accommodate the large lens."
Safe, comfortable vision can be achieved with polarization, Freese said. It's something lots of consumers don't consider.
"Polarization cuts the glare that impairs vision," she explained. "Once people see the difference, either with prescription or non-prescription wear, they like the protection from sun glare that polarization offers.
For those who are interested in clip-on sunglasses, they're still manufactured, but with a twist, Freese said.
"They have a magnetic clip in the frame that adheres the sunglasses to the frame," she said of the brand Easy Clip. "The frame and clip-on is $259, but if you break or lose the clip-on, to replace it is $89."
For those who like to change their look and consider the glasses an accessory, a brand called Try Change offers numerous colors for the bows and bridge.
"We sell a lot of these because people like to change up the way they look," Freese said. "These cost $199, but you can get at least two pairs to alternate looks."
As with purses and shoes that are trendy right now, sunglasses are getting to have more "bling," Freese said.
"The rhinestones and bright colors are very popular," she said. "Brand wise, Oakley speaks for itself, but it's costly. You can spend anywhere from $230 to $800."
{M3Ride on
{M3As more people take up the sport of cycling, sunglasses can be just as important as a helmet.
"You want to choose sunglasses that protect your vision but also are impact-resistant," said Doug Albrecht, owner of Albrecht Cycle Shop. "Eyewear for cyclists should be sports-specific. They need to fit well with a helmet."
Albrecht recalled the days when the only name in sunglasses for cyclists were Oakley.
"Those are spendy," he acknowledged. "Those were ones you didn't want to lose or even accidentally sit on them when you were paying $100."
A sign of the times, Albrecht noted, was: Cost is relative.
"I've been here for over 30 years and I remember when a motorcycle would cost about what a pair of sunglasses does now," he said with a grin.
Today, Albrecht Cycle Shop (in business since 1924) offers sunglasses for cyclists that range from $50 to $450 and a new style surfaces almost every month.
"The higher end will include more options," he said. "Usually there's a warranty as well."
He added, "Our Serfas brand are very reasonable and they will include three pairs of additional lenses that will serve for different situations."
Customers who need prescription lenses can pick out the frame and Albrecht can order them a pair of sunglasses if he has the prescription. Cyclists are telling Albrecht they prefer an amber lens, creatively called Back Country Orange.
"Those allow you to bike in Stone Park and be able to tell a leaf in a shady area," he said.
Albrecht said it was important for cyclists to have sunglasses with lenses that didn't fog up and transitioned well from bright to dark conditions.
"You've got to have sunglasses that provide you with coverage," he stressed. "After all, when you're biking, you're bent over and you head is up."
{M3Seeing is believing
{M3For as cute as kids can be in their sunglasses, they aren't the super heroes or cartoon stars that don't have to worry about eye care.
"Sunglasses may save their skin and eyes later in life by blocking the sun's rays," said Wadzinski.
"My best recommendation would be to keep them out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.," he added. "That's usually tough to do, so at least have them in sunglasses, with sunscreen and a hat."
Safety is paramount in choosing sunglasses for kids, said Hedquist.
"Kids play ball and they run, trip and fall," he said. "You should find impact-resistant lenses to protect their eyes."
Glass used to be the standard for the lenses, Hedquist said. Consumers are choosing that less.
"For children in particular, glass shatters and is a poor choice," he said. "The plus is that they don't scratch, so some adults still prefer that."
Plastic is the choice today and has improved in quality over the years, Hedquist pointed out, because it's "safer and it's lighter."
Kids, like some adults, prefer the brighter colors and styles, said Freese. They might even be more likely to wear them if they get to choose the sunglasses.
Everyone was in agreement that once you get the correct sunglasses, don't forget such important items as sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat.
"You can smear that sunscreen on your eyelids and on the delicate skin around the eyes," Wadzinski recommended. "It won't hurt."
Accessory or necessity?
UV rays can play a large role in the following eye diseases:
-- Cataracts are clouding of the eye which causes blurring or dimming of vision
-- Skin cancer can surface on eyelids or around the eyes
-- Pterygium is tissue growth on the whites of eyes
-- Macular degeneration is the deterioration of the eye's macula (sensitive center of the retina)
The movie stars had the right idea by wearing sunglasses to protect their eyes from the harsh lights of filming. With the varied frames and styles available today, you too can look like a screen legend.
Wearing sunglasses should be a primary concern for everyone no matter the time of the year, but especially during the bright, summer months of June, July and August.
"People better understand today the importance of shielding your eyes from the sun and how the sun can damage the eyes," said Dr. Michael Wadzinski, ophthalmologist with Wadzinski Eye Clinic. "They have become especially knowledgeable about UVA and UVB control."
Sunglasses provide one of the best sources of protection from Ultra Violet (UV) rays. Specifically, you need to protect your eyes from UVA (with wavelengths of 320 to 400 nanometers) and UVB rays (290 to 320). Most sunglasses will indicate that factor on their information tag.
Eye care specialists recommend in order to properly protect your eyes, choose sunglasses that provide at least 99 percent UV protection, Wadzinski said.
"People should not be misled by the color of the lens or the price tag," he stressed. "Both of those can be independent of the ability to block the rays."
In fact, lens tint does not protect you from UV rays and may affect your ability to see correctly, pointed out Julie Freese, optician with Exact Eye Care.
"Colored lenses are particular to certain situations," she explained. "For example, a chocolate lens is good for sunny days and best for driving and golfing. A yellow lens increases contrast and is good in low light conditions and is popular among hunters.
"But you still need to ensure the lens is protecting you from the UV rays," she stressed. "Just because the lens makes things darker doesn't mean it's protecting your eyes."
In fact, just the opposite may be true, said Dr. Chris Hedquist, optometrist at Exact Eye Care.
"When you're in a dark environment, your pupils will get larger," he said. "So, if you're eyes aren't protected correctly, you may well be doing more damage to your eyes with incorrect sunglasses by allowing even more UV rays to enter the pupil."
{M3The eyes have it
{M3The effects of sun damage are being seen in Baby Boomers, Wadzinski said.
"We know that repeated exposure of sun to the eyes will result in cataracts and early-age macular degeneration," he said.
"Snow skiers without sunglasses -- who might have a lot of exposure to reflective light -- can put themselves at risk with a superficial burn on their cornea," he added. "That will resolve itself, like a sunburn, but repeated exposure like that to the eyes will ultimately become problematic."
Once the damage is done, except for cataracts that can be corrected with surgery, it's irreversible.
"Genetics will play a part, but we are seeing more and more early-age macular degeneration," noted Wadzinski who's been practicing for 14 years. "That's why it's so important to start having kids wear sunglasses that protect them."
Wadzinski pointed out there are $10 sunglasses available that are better than some brand-name, expensive glasses.
"Lots of times you're paying for the name," he observed. "It has little to do with quality."
Large lenses that fit close to the eyes are best and wraparounds are better, Freese said. The only challenge comes from adding a prescription to the lens.
"People love the big glasses," she said. "But sometimes those don't work well for a prescription because distortion will occur when the large frame tries to accommodate the large lens."
Safe, comfortable vision can be achieved with polarization, Freese said. It's something lots of consumers don't consider.
"Polarization cuts the glare that impairs vision," she explained. "Once people see the difference, either with prescription or non-prescription wear, they like the protection from sun glare that polarization offers.
For those who are interested in clip-on sunglasses, they're still manufactured, but with a twist, Freese said.
"They have a magnetic clip in the frame that adheres the sunglasses to the frame," she said of the brand Easy Clip. "The frame and clip-on is $259, but if you break or lose the clip-on, to replace it is $89."
For those who like to change their look and consider the glasses an accessory, a brand called Try Change offers numerous colors for the bows and bridge.
"We sell a lot of these because people like to change up the way they look," Freese said. "These cost $199, but you can get at least two pairs to alternate looks."
As with purses and shoes that are trendy right now, sunglasses are getting to have more "bling," Freese said.
"The rhinestones and bright colors are very popular," she said. "Brand wise, Oakley speaks for itself, but it's costly. You can spend anywhere from $230 to $800."
{M3Ride on
{M3As more people take up the sport of cycling, sunglasses can be just as important as a helmet.
"You want to choose sunglasses that protect your vision but also are impact-resistant," said Doug Albrecht, owner of Albrecht Cycle Shop. "Eyewear for cyclists should be sports-specific. They need to fit well with a helmet."
Albrecht recalled the days when the only name in sunglasses for cyclists were Oakley.
"Those are spendy," he acknowledged. "Those were ones you didn't want to lose or even accidentally sit on them when you were paying $100."
A sign of the times, Albrecht noted, was: Cost is relative.
"I've been here for over 30 years and I remember when a motorcycle would cost about what a pair of sunglasses does now," he said with a grin.
Today, Albrecht Cycle Shop (in business since 1924) offers sunglasses for cyclists that range from $50 to $450 and a new style surfaces almost every month.
"The higher end will include more options," he said. "Usually there's a warranty as well."
He added, "Our Serfas brand are very reasonable and they will include three pairs of additional lenses that will serve for different situations."
Customers who need prescription lenses can pick out the frame and Albrecht can order them a pair of sunglasses if he has the prescription. Cyclists are telling Albrecht they prefer an amber lens, creatively called Back Country Orange.
"Those allow you to bike in Stone Park and be able to tell a leaf in a shady area," he said.
Albrecht said it was important for cyclists to have sunglasses with lenses that didn't fog up and transitioned well from bright to dark conditions.
"You've got to have sunglasses that provide you with coverage," he stressed. "After all, when you're biking, you're bent over and you head is up."
{M3Seeing is believing
{M3For as cute as kids can be in their sunglasses, they aren't the super heroes or cartoon stars that don't have to worry about eye care.
"Sunglasses may save their skin and eyes later in life by blocking the sun's rays," said Wadzinski.
"My best recommendation would be to keep them out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.," he added. "That's usually tough to do, so at least have them in sunglasses, with sunscreen and a hat."
Safety is paramount in choosing sunglasses for kids, said Hedquist.
"Kids play ball and they run, trip and fall," he said. "You should find impact-resistant lenses to protect their eyes."
Glass used to be the standard for the lenses, Hedquist said. Consumers are choosing that less.
"For children in particular, glass shatters and is a poor choice," he said. "The plus is that they don't scratch, so some adults still prefer that."
Plastic is the choice today and has improved in quality over the years, Hedquist pointed out, because it's "safer and it's lighter."
Kids, like some adults, prefer the brighter colors and styles, said Freese. They might even be more likely to wear them if they get to choose the sunglasses.
Everyone was in agreement that once you get the correct sunglasses, don't forget such important items as sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat.
"You can smear that sunscreen on your eyelids and on the delicate skin around the eyes," Wadzinski recommended. "It won't hurt."
Accessory or necessity?
UV rays can play a large role in the following eye diseases:
-- Cataracts are clouding of the eye which causes blurring or dimming of vision
-- Skin cancer can surface on eyelids or around the eyes
-- Pterygium is tissue growth on the whites of eyes
-- Macular degeneration is the deterioration of the eye's macula (sensitive center of the retina)
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 0 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
