Complete Guide To Sunglasses UV Protection

Sunglasses are not just a fashion accessory, they protect your eyes from that nasty ultraviolet light. You may not feel the damage from the UV light instantly, but not having eye protection in the summer with long periods of sunshine can cause sunburned eyes, cataracts, macular degeneration, and eye cancer. All of that is no bueno so make sure you protect those eyes of yours!

Some people believe that UV protection depends on the tint level of the glasses, the darker the glasses the better they protect against UV. However, that is not true. The degree of protection of sunglasses depends on the filter, which is placed inside the lenses.

The UV filter itself is transparent, and the darkness tint is applied at a different step. To learn more about the different lens darkness levels check out our article on lens Categories.

Remember that your eyes need protection not only on beach days. Snow is able to reflect up to 80% of the sunlight. Reflecting ultraviolet light, snow becomes bright and can be blinding. At this point, the amount of harmful rays that come out of the snow is doubled.

Ultraviolet light is divided into three different types: UVA, UVB, and UVC.

- UVA have longer wavelengths and is responsible for the aging of the skin.

- UVB rays are the ones that can leave your eyes sunburnt and destroy the protective layers located in the outer cells of the cornea.

- UVC rays can’t reach the Earth because its atmosphere blocks them.

The maximum possible protection against UV radiation is the protection of UV400 (100% protection against UV). Ophthalmologists recommend choosing models with 99-100% UV protection. Detour offers high-quality eyewear all with UV400 protection for you and your family!

Tip. How to check if your sunglasses protect your eyes from UV rays?

First thing first, a high price doesn’t mean that lenses are UV400 (100% protection). Before you buy make sure the lenses are listed as UV400.



 At Detour, you can find your perfect polarized pair of sunglasses!