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Author: Cinzia Pedrana

Be careful with your eyes : use sunglasses to protect them !

Livigno (So) 8. 02. 2008

Many people don't give so much importance to sunglasses but they consider them just a fashion.

I decided to write this article not only because I worked in a sunglasses shop but because I think that sunglasses are necessary to protect eyes from the strong light of the sun.
Sunglasses are accessories, made up of plastic or glass, they are fundamental to protect your eyes from UV rays. In the eighteen century, James Ayscought began experimenting with tinted lenses in spectacles. These were not sunglasses as now, but their protection from suns rays was not so “brilliant”! In the early 1900s the use of sunglasses started to become more widespread, especially among movie stars. Stars wear sunglasses to be recognized and not to protect their eyes from light. The first sunglasses became polarized in 1936 in America. The most popular sunglasses, and also old, was the “Aviator” ( it appeared for the first time in America in 1936 ).
There are many different types of color lenses : green, grey, brown, red, yellow, orange, purple, blue etc...But if I should advise you which color to choose, you should select grey lenses because grey is a neutral color that does not caused distort light. I think that also brown and green lenses are very good : they cause a minimal distortion but they have contrasting – enhancing properties. Red and orange lenses are ideal for lower and medium light because they are able to enhance contrast; their defect is that they cause color distortion. Yellow lenses enhance contrast and they are used by golfers and shooters. I would advise you to avoid the use of blue and purple lenses because they are colors that are mainly cosmetic and do not offer real benefits. There are clear lenses which are used to protect eyes from impact, debris, dust, or chemicals. Some sunglasses with interchangeable lenses have optional clear lenses to protect eyes during low light or night time activities. Interchangeable lenses are very used in many sports : these lenses can be easily removed when, for example weather and light change. The reason for this is because the cost of a set of lenses is cheaper than the price of multiple pairs of glasses. There are also other types of lenses, called photo-chromic lenses: they become dark with bright light and they become light with darkness.
Sunglass lenses are made from plastic or glass: plastic lenses are typically made from acrylic, polycarbonate or CR-39 ( the most common ). Plastic lenses have the pro to be very light in comparison with glass lenses. The contra is that plastic lenses are more prone to scratch than glasses lenses. Other advantages of lenses in plastic is that they give more protection.
Many people need to brighten exposition to the sun, for example when they read. There are many activities like riding, skiing and when the eye receives more light than usual. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation ( UV ) can cause many problems: photokeratitis, cataracts, snow blindness, pterygium, eye cancer, etc...In fact, many medical experts often advise on the importance of wearing sunglasses to protect eyes from UV rays. Sunglasses are also very important for children. There are also people who wear sunglasses to hide defects ( which are caused by drug use but also from birth, for example for people who are blind ). I do not understand people who wear sunglasses to appear, only to be on fashion: yes, I think that it is important for sunglasses to suit you well but I saw people who suit sunglasses which are at the moment a fashion but they are not able to protect their eyes from the sun because they don’t dispose of good lenses.
I think that I want to say to people is that people must pay attention with sunglasses which were on the market because there are many types of sunglasses which are made with illegal materials. These types of sunglasses are dangerous for your sight.