Glasses and contact lenses are generally worn to improve overall vision in our patients. What about our sunglasses though? We stress the importance of eye protection for a reason, and that reason is to save your eyesight! Proper sunwear can only be obtained through a professional, as not all glasses block out 100% of harmful UV rays. Sunglasses will not only protect your eyes from UV damage, but proper eye protection can protect your eyes from injury during exercise and physical activity. Choosing sunglasses for the sports you participate in can also give you a leg up over the competition. At Optical Masters, let us show you all that our eyewear can do for you to keep your eyes safe, protected and working for your best benefit!
 

Vision for Vitality

Just how important are the eyes? For starters, you only receive one set of eyes, and that set is what you have to get you through the rest of your life. Vision is essential for health and wellness, as much of what we do during the day involves our eyes. When vision is poor or vision problems are present, it can deplete the vitality of our lives and hinder our ability to see and understand our environment, others, tasks we must complete and more. Some of the easiest ways to care for your eyes is through giving them proper eye protection through sunglasses and specialty eyewear for sports and activities. 
 

Sunglasses Protect Our Eyes

Sunglasses are specifically designed to help protect your eyes, however, not all sunglasses are made the same. Not all sunglasses even protect your eyes, but some are purely for aesthetic appeal. How do you know if your glasses protect you? Glasses will have a label saying they protect against 100% of harmful UV rays or they won’t. You don’t want to waste your time buying sunglasses that offer no UV eye protection, as you are only buying darkened lenses which will do nothing to protect your eyesight.
 

UV Eye Protection

Sunglasses with UV eye protection diminish your exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation as much as possible. The UV light is one section of light waves that is found in the visible light spectrum (or the lights that we can see or detect). The UV light is a major risk factor when it comes to most skin cancers. Not only can this light cause cancer of your skin, but it can damage your eyes and even the skin directly surrounding the eyes.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tells us that exposure to the sun’s UV rays causes chronic problems in the eyes including macular degeneration, cataracts, temporary vision loss from corneal sunburn (photokeratitis), pterygia (white growth on the eye), pingueculae and more. That’s why it’s so important to choose the right pair of shades. The best pair you can buy is through an optometrist’s office (like ours). You will receive a pair of long-lasting, powerful UV-blocking glasses. You just can’t get that at the mall or grocery store, as most of the eyewear you can get anywhere are not made with actual, powerful UV eye protection.
 

What Are Sports and Specialty Eyewear?

Did you know that there is specific eyewear just for sports? Most athletic pursuits require optimal visual capabilities, and what better way to give your eyes that gift than through proper lens wear? Sports and specialty eyewear aid your peripheral vision, your depth perception, and your hand-eye coordination. Sports vision tests are not the same are normal vision exams. A sports vision test will assess the visual skills that are critically important to your activity, and we give you lenses catered to enhancing those skills. We highly recommend Polycarbonate Lenses for athletes.

Polycarbonate is virtually unbreakable and is thinner, lighter and stronger than glass. It naturally blocks the sun’s UV rays and can withstand a 12-gauge shotgun blast from 10 yards away. That means these lenses will definitely hold up in any kind of sport you participate in. The only downside? Over-the-counter polycarbonate lenses scratch very easily, ruining the visual acuity you could have. With professional lenses (such as the ones we offer), you’ll get quality shades that won’t scratch like the cheap versions. You also have the power of lens tint, allowing you to tint your sunglasses the way you want them. Your sports glasses will also wrap around your head for full protection. Get proper lends tint for your glasses to see objects in the correct color. 
 

Throw Some Shade On That Sun

When it comes to your eye health, don’t take a chance! Get yourself a pair of shades that will block 100% of the sun’s UV rays. This will decrease your risk of eye cancer and reduce your risk for common eye problems that lead to vision loss. Treat your eyes to proper eyewear that will give you a leg up on the competition and boost your abilities. To learn more about sunglasses, sports, and specialty eyewear, call our Optical Masters office today at (720) 780-8881.