How do sunglasses work?
How Do Sunglasses Protect The Eyes And What Are Their Benefits?
When it comes to the sun, we all know the damage that it can cause our skin yet many people fail to realise just how bad it is for the eyes. As the sun's UV rays penetrate the eyes it causes irreversible damage that can lead to problems with vision and even cancer of the retina.
Sunglasses help protect the eyes by offering protection from the damaging UV rays by filtering them out via a specialised coating that prevents both UVA and UVB light frequencies. When it comes to sunglasses it is better to have quality over cost and the better pairs on the market can block as much as 99% to 100% of the harmful rays.
So how exactly does a pair of sunglasses work? The process itself is actually quite simple yet remains effective day after day. The special coating that is applied to a pair of sunglasses acts in the same way as a mirror by reflecting the UV wavelengths away from the eyes. To put it into perspective, take music as an example. When you play music with the speakers facing the wall, the majority of the sound is reflected off of the wall and into the room, this is the same process that sunglasses employ.
Not only do sunglasses help protect your eyes from the sun's UV light, they can also help prevent glare and reduce the amount of time you spend squinting. Squinting because of sunlight is one of the leading causes of crow's feet and wrinkles around the eyes, it can also lead to eye strain and the potential for triggering migraines. To help protect your eyes and prevent squinting, many sunglasses use special light filters that reduce the brightness of the sun by around 50%.
This doesn't mean to say that it is safe to stare at the sun as this is one of the most damaging things you can do to your eyes. The main purpose of sunglasses is to shield your eyes and prevent degeneration of them due to UVA and UVB. When selecting sunglasses always try to opt for ones with a large surface area as this help further shield your eyes from the sun's radiation. Sunglasses may be simple in design yet they are the most effective way to help prevent cataracts, macular degeneration and vision problems caused by sunlight.
Over time the design of sunglasses has changed and modern technological advances have helped improve the efficiency of sunglasses by creating several different filters throughout the lenses that target more than just UVA. The combination of protection from UVA, UVB and light glare helps keep the eyes in a healthy condition while retaining a fashionable yet functional use.