Sunglasses

Protecting your eyes from UVA and UVB rays is an important year-round commitment.  Several studies suggest that excessive exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet (UV) rays may be one of the causes of cataract development and age-related macular degeneration.  Your exposure to UV is the greatest between 10AM and 3PM and is influenced by what is around you.  Sunlight reflecting off grass will increase UV exposure by 3-5 percent, reflections from water by 3-13 percent and when there is snow covering the ground, UV exposure is increased by 88-95 percent (ECB, 1998).  To protect your eyes from the harmful UV rays, people with or without the need of vision correction should use quality sunglasses.

Sunglasses can help reduce the amount of exposure to UV light and aide in protecting your eyes.  When purchasing sunglasses, be sure to look for close fitting, wrap-around sunglasses, which will provide the most protection at all angles and do not assume that the darkest glasses will provide the best protection.  Wearing dark glasses in very bright light will enlarge your pupils, letting more light into the eye and with it more UV radiation.  As a result, the FDA has mandated standards for UV protective sunglasses.  To be FDA approved, lenses must not permit more than 5 percent UVA and 1 percent UVB to reach the wearer’s eyes.  Eye doctors recommend sunglasses that block at least 99 percent of UVA and UVB rays. 

Sunglasses are also beneficial to children, whose eyes are continually growing and developing, and, as a result, are less able to filter out harmful UV rays.  Protecting them from unnecessary strain and squinting in sunlight will provide their visual system a better chance to grow to its optimal potential.

Our staff can help you find the sunglasses that work best for you and your family.  Be sure to ask your Optician about special Prescription Sunglass prices through our exclusive Shades For All Seasons program.  Program prices start at just $99! 

We sell only the finest selection of styles that blend fashion and protection.  Check out our large selection of top designer sunglasses!

• Arnette
• Bollé
• Columbia
• Diane vonFurstenberg
• Killer Loop
• Oakley
• Persol
• Polo Sport Ralph Lauren
• Prada
• Ray-Ban
• Salvatore Ferragamo
• Sun Sport
• Thalia Eyewear
• Woolrich

Shades For All Seasons—Rx Optical’s Prescription Sunglass Program

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