“Bad publicity is better than no publicity.”
“Bad credit is better than no credit.”
“Bad luck is better than no luck.”
We hear sayings like this every so often, but if there’s one place this thinking doesn’t apply, it’s in the world of sunglasses. When it comes to protecting your eyes, wearing bad – and by that we mean cheap -- sunglasses is actually worse than wearing no sunglasses at all.
Speaking to TIME Magazine a few years ago, Dr. Wayne Bizer of the American Academy of Ophthalmology said that wearing sunglasses without protection from UVA and UVB light could do more harm to your eyes than if you were forced to squint.
Here’s why: Bright light makes us squint, so our pupils constrict to limit the light getting in. When we put on sunglasses, our eyes react like they would in a darker room, so our pupils dilate to allow in light.
So while sunglasses that don’t block UV rays may offer some protection against visible light, they still expose you to harmful UVA and UVB light.
UVA is what’s known as long wavelength UV, and accounts for most the light from the sun that reaches the earth.
UVB is considered short wavelength UV, and while it accounts for a much smaller amount of solar radiation, it can still damage your skin and cause sunburn. Both UVA light and UVB can cause skin cancer, which is why glasses that protect against them are important.
“Let’s suppose you put on a very dark pair of sunglasses,” Bizer said in an interview in TIME’s health section in 2009. “Your pupil opens up, it dramatically changes in size from half a millimeter to 5 or 6 millimeters.”
It’s an enormous increase, and now you’re allowing much more [harmful light] into your eyes than if you didn’t wear the cheap sunglasses at all. Sunglasses without UVA and UVB protection simply filter out the ambient light, the glare. They don’t do anything to protect you.”
Beyond skin cancer, UVA/UVB exposure can put you at greater risk for cataracts, macular degeneration and ocular melanoma, a rare form of cancer.
How can you make sure you’ve found sunglasses that will protect you?
Don’t buy cheap ones. This doesn’t necessarily mean shelling out a lot of money. It does mean choosing a reputable vendor. Bizer points out that a lot of street vendors sell sunglasses that don’t meet FDA regulations.
And remember that cheaper sunglasses can break much easier. If you’re in the market for sports sunglasses – in other words, ones that can keep out UV rays and withstand wear and tear – it might be wise to invest in a better pair.
Liberty Sport can help you find that pair.
We’ve designed our Sun Performance line of protective sunglasses to protect your vision and give you a clear view when you’re enjoying the outdoors.
Every pair of our sport sunglasses offers 100 percent protection against UVB and UVA light rays, and are put together using high-quality materials that can hold up when put to the test by nature. We’ve made glasses for men and women, whether they’re motorcyclists, golfers, skiers, cyclists or hikers.
The sport you’ve chosen doesn’t matter. What matters is that we’ve built our Sun Performance glasses with the challenges of outdoor activity in mind. These glasses will last you for years, while their innovative sun technology protects your eyes from harmful UV rays. They’re lightweight, comfortable, and can even work with prescription lenses.
Don’t forget about our line of Switch Magnetic Interchange Technology frames that allow you to quickly and seamlessly swap out lenses that are perfect for any light condition!
There’s nothing like the feeling of the summer sun as you enjoy the great outdoors. Let Liberty Sport help you protect yourself, so you can enjoy the summer with clear and protected vision.