Sunglasses are often an essential accessory, especially when it is bright and sunny outside. However, there may be several mistakes that you are making with your sunglasses without even realising it. These can vary from aesthetic mistakes, but some mistakes can potentially put your eye health at risk.
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Wearing sunglasses that are too small
Sunglasses should protect your eyes and eyelids properly, which means that they should ideally cover the area from your eyebrows to your cheek. If light can easily get over the top of the lenses or from around the sides of the sunglasses, your eyes and skin are left unprotected from sun damage. The skin around your eyes and eyelids is very sensitive, and skin cancer can form in this area. Smaller sunglasses have crept back into fashion over the years, especially with the recent tiny sunglasses trend. However, regardless of how fashionable these may seem, they should be avoided as they do not provide adequate sun protection.
Wearing sunglasses that are too dark
If you are wearing sunglasses that you feel as though you are struggling to see out of, then the lenses might be too dark. Some lens colours and tints can dim or decrease your vision, which can be dangerous if you are wearing them while driving. There is also a misconception that the darker the tint on the glasses, the more protection they will offer, when in actuality, the colour of the lenses has nothing to do with the level of UV protection. With the right lens coating, you could possibly have 100% UV protection in a pair of clear glasses if necessary, so it is worth researching before you buy.
They are not actually blocking UV light
Despite common belief, having a darker tint does not mean that a pair of cheaper glasses are protective. Although you can buy less costly sunglasses that will offer 100% UV protection, you should avoid buying any pair that does not have a sticker verifying their protective status. Similarly, novelty sunglasses do not offer any protection from the damaging effects of the sun. These are often handed out at events for you to wear as it is happening, and should not really be worn after this.
They have mirrored lenses
Mirrored lenses are a popular choice when it comes to sunglasses, but they can also cause a few problems. As the mirrored lenses reflect light, your vision may be dimmer as less light is entering your eye. Additionally, when light is reflected from your lenses, the rays may bounce back and reflect onto your nose, which could cause sunburns or increase the risk of skin cancer.
Wearing sunglasses only when it is sunny
Despite being named ‘sunglasses’, they should also be worn when it is not sunny outside. UV rays are still present when it is cloudy, and they are just as capable of causing skin damage as the rays when it is summertime. Similarly, in autumn and winter the sun can appear to be lower in the sky and there may be a higher chance of looking directly at it. When continuing to wear sunglasses during colder weather and into wintertime, having lighter tinted lenses that have UV protection will protect your eyes in both high and low sunlight without compromising your vision.
Wearing the wrong style for your face shape
Even though you may not think that it matters much, each face shape has a style of sunglasses that it suits the best. According to experts, people with round faces will suit square framed sunglasses, whereas square faces look better when wearing round sunglasses. It may be best to experiment with a wide variety of different styles until you find a pair that you think suits you the best, and try to figure out what your face shape is if you do not already know.
Buying sunglasses without trying them on first
As previously mentioned when wearing sunglasses that are too small, a properly fitting pair of sunglasses will cover from your brow to the top of your cheek in order to provide optimum protection for your eyes and eyelids. Additionally, by trying sunglasses on you will be able to find a pair that is not uncomfortable to wear. Check that the lenses cover your eye area completely, that the arms of the glasses do not feel too tight and the glasses do not keep slipping down your nose.
Not choosing the right lens colour
Depending on when and where you will be wearing your sunglasses, the lens colour can have a large impact on your vision. Grey tinted lenses are likely to allow you to see colours clearly, whereas brown lenses help to provide contrast in bright, sunny environments. Yellow lenses are good for blocking blue light, but they may distort colours at times. As a result of this, it is best to research what lens tint is best for you and the beneficial effects that it can provide, as a tint that is great for skiing may not be good to wear when driving.
Not buying them from a reputable vendor
Whilst travelling, you may be tempted to buy cheap sunglasses from questionable vendors. However, these sunglasses could potentially be fake or low quality and thus will not properly protect your eyes from sun damage. When purchasing sunglasses, check for errors in spellings on the logo or in the packaging, and look for any information on the manufacturer and the country of origin. Legitimate sunglasses will have inscriptions and markings that detail the width of the lenses, the bridge width, the total length of the arms and the height of the lenses. They should also have a CE symbol within the European Union, indicating that they comply with their quality standards.
Not wearing the correct pair for driving
When driving, certain kinds of sunglasses can impair your vision, such as wearing tinted glasses at nighttime or in poor visibility. Additionally, fashion frames that have deep sidearms can block your peripheral vision when driving. The tint density of heavily tinted lenses can be too dark even for driving in the daytime, with certain tint colours such as pink, red and blue, distorting traffic lights and potentially even making red lights indistinguishable. If you have variable tinted lens sunglasses these may work when driving, but their reaction can be sometimes delayed by your car’s windscreen.
