Nine myths about sunglasses

Myth #1 You only need sunglasses to protect your eyes from the rays of the bright sun.

This myth contains only a portion of the truth. Yes, sunglasses protect your eyes from the bright light, but their primary purpose is protection against ultraviolet rays. Not all eyewear is made equal, so make sure you check with the manufacturer to make sure any eyewear you are considering protects against UV rays. Rest assured we have you and your eyes covered! All our eyewear at Detour comes equipped with UV400 protection. 

Myth #2 The darker the glasses = the better protection they have.

The most common myth! Darker lenses without UV protection can actually cause way more harm. With the darker lens your pupils dilate to adjust to the light, this causes more harmful ultraviolet light to enter your eyes rather than if you were without sunglasses!

Even transparent or minimally obscured lenses with a coating blocking ultraviolet radiation can provide you with better protection than very dark ones without a filter.

Myth #3 Only expensive sunglasses have the best quality and protection.

Nope! The price of sunglasses doesn’t guarantee the quality of protection. Expensive brand models may not be designed for functional wear but rather, decorative accessories. Even some affordable sunglasses can have a coating that blocks UV rays and that’s why at Detour you can get high-quality protective sunglasses that won’t break your bank account!

Myth #4 You need to wear sunglasses only in spring/summertime.

The truth is that ultraviolet affects the eyes at any time of the year, in any weather, and this is why sunglasses are always needed. In winter, the lenses with polarization will be even more useful to you than in summer because snow and ice can reflect a glare. The snow actually magnifies and reflects the rays so sunglasses on sunny winter days are a must! Check out our sunglasses made for all seasons and snow goggles here.

Myth #5 It’s perfectly safe to look at the sun through the lenses of the sunglasses.

This is very much false and please do not try this, even if your sunglasses have the highest rating. Sunglasses are not designed to look directly at the sun. The only way to do this safely is through specialized devices.

Myth #6 Glass lenses are better than plastic ones.

This is not true. We use polycarbonate lenses for a reason. Polycarbonate lenses are shatter resistant, 10 times stronger than glass, and lighter. This means you are getting a safer, stronger lens that can be worn for long periods of time without experiencing discomfort!

Myth #7 Kids don’t need sunglasses.

If kids spend a lot of time outside they certainly DO need sunglasses. Children’s eyes have not yet fully developed, so the additional protection is definitely needed.  Check out our kids sunglasses collection here.

Myth #8 The color of the lens doesn’t matter.

This is a tricky one. While the color is more of a personal preference, the shade of the tint is in fact important. There are 5 categories of Visible Light Transmission (VLT) *you can read about here. You will need to make sure your lens falls into the category of your intended use of your sunglasses.

Myth #9 Sunglasses can damage your eyesight.

This myth is only true if you wear low-quality eyewear with lenses that have no protective filters or uses a poor-quality material for their lenses. As always, we recommend making sure your eyewear is UV protective, has a lens that is approved by the FDA (all our lenses are FDA approved), and is in the right category for your needs!