Your Guide to Choosing the Right Sunglasses This Summer

Eye Care in Tulsa - Choosing The Right Sunglasses
July 27, 2021
James Ashford

As we came out of our COVID-19-induced indoor winter, our eyes, shaded by more than a year indoors, cried out for sunglasses. But sunglasses aren’t just a fashion accessory anymore. Today, they’re a part of your eye care in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and beyond. So which shades do you choose to ensure your eyes get the best care possible? Here are a few things you should keep in mind when making your choice.

UVA/UVB protection for eye care in Tulsa

Perhaps the most essential thing sunglasses can do is protect your eyes from damage caused by exposure to UVA/UVB rays. Ultraviolet (UV) rays are electromagnetic rays produced by the sun. There are three varieties of UV rays, but only UVA and UVB threaten your eyes. Both can damage cells, but UVB rays are slightly stronger. The rays are strongest and have the most potential to injure your eyes:

  • In spring or summer.
  • From mid-morning to mid-afternoon, especially around noon.
  • Near the equator.
  • When reflected from other surfaces.

Sunglasses have come a long way since their prehistoric origins when Inuit peoples flattened walrus ivory to form glasses to block the sun’s reflected rays. Today, sunglasses that can prevent all or most UV rays from reaching your eyes are widely available. Their protection comes from chemicals added to the lenses, not from the intensity of the color. When selecting your shades, be sure to look for lenses that say “99-100% effective” or “UV absorption up to 400 nm,” which are essentially the same thing.

Protection against UVA/UVB rays is critical because the rays can contribute to the development of:

  • Cataracts.
  • Eye cancers.
  • Growths on the eye, especially common among swimmers and surfers.
  • Photokeratitis or snow blindness from reflected light, especially reflected off snow.
  • Age-related macular degeneration.
  • Pterygium.

Given our southern U.S. location, your routine for eye care in Tulsa should include good UVA/UVB sunglasses. Also, remember that your children’s eyes need UV protection as well, so children’s sunglasses shouldn’t be chosen based on how cute they are.

Size really matters — color, not so much

UV rays don’t just come straight at you; they hit your eyes from all directions. For this reason, it’s recommended to wear larger lenses that feature wraparounds or side pieces that help to protect your eyes. Despite a common misconception, color doesn’t matter all that much. But while darker lenses don’t offer more protection against UV rays, they can help reduce squinting and eye fatigue.

Some colors can, however, provide better visual contrast that makes you safer when driving or engaging in outdoor activities. For those who don’t wear prescription sunglasses, most lenses that darken in sunlight will also offer UVA/UVB protection.

Polarized lenses

Polarized lenses have a chemical coating that absorbs certain light rays to reduce glare. They won’t give you more UV protection, but can reduce eye strain by blocking reflected light. Remember, though, they do not permit you to look directly at the sun without damaging your eyes. You can test the lenses of glasses you are considering by rotating them while looking through them at reflected light. If the glasses have good polarized lenses, the glare will change when the lenses move.

Quality counts

As with all things, sunglasses are available in a range of qualities. Poor-quality sunglasses with a thin coat of tint don’t provide much protection for your eyes. Quality lens coatings, on the other hand, will include polarization and other chemical coatings that protect your eyes against UV rays, eye strain and glare fatigue.

Beyond coating quality, the material that sunglass lenses are made out of contribute to their overall quality. Due to the reduced cost and ease of coating, most non-prescription sunglasses are made with high-quality plastic lenses instead of glass. While this plastic is not as scratch-resistant as glass, it is lighter and more impact-resistant.

Some cheap sunglasses use inferior lens materials, so they could cause eye strain and fatigue. Thus, it’s important to choose high-quality ophthalmic plastics that can retain strong coatings that block at least 75-90% of light.

The most important step

No matter how good your sunglasses are, one step toward great eye care matters most. Don’t forget to wear them! Whenever you’re outside, be sure to wear good-quality sunglasses (or photosensitive lenses that will darken) to protect your eyes from potential sun damage. A professional who provides eye care in Tulsa can assist you with finding — or prescribing if needed — excellent protective sunglasses to keep your eyes healthy well into the future.

Sunglasses for eye care in Tulsa

In a sunny southern climate like ours, sunglasses can offer vital protection that preserves the long-term health of your eyes. If you’re not sure what you need, Tulsa eye care professionals can guide you. Visit Vision Care Direct for high-quality eye care that is doctor-owned and creates a personal relationship between patients and optometrists. We offer individual vision plans that help protect eye health in Oklahoma and beyond.

Not sure where to get started with recommending self-funded plans? Vision Care Direct of Oklahoma is pre-paid plan provider with and extensive of specialists who deliver eye care in Tulsa and nationwide with excellent value for employers and plan recipients.

Find out more about our self-funded plans and other flexible options.

GET LASIK DISCOUNT

Learn about benefits of LASIK for Vision Care Direct of Oklahoma members.

Let's Talk About You

Let us know if you have any questions or if you’d like to chat.

Popular blog posts

What Is Genetic Ophthalmology and What Does It Mean for Eye Health?

What Is Genetic Ophthalmology and What Does It Mean for Eye Health?

Genetic ophthalmology (GO) is an emerging field that could provide more effective treatment for genetic eye diseases such as glaucoma. However, GO also raises some serious concerns that should be addressed as this technology progresses. What is Genetic Ophthalmology?...

Top 5 KPIs to Track When Assessing Plan Performance and Satisfaction

Top 5 KPIs to Track When Assessing Plan Performance and Satisfaction

As a broker, you need to maintain a diverse product portfolio so you can help companies build packages adapted to their needs and budgets. Tracking these 5 key performance indicators when comparing plans will help you better identify the ones that are more likely to...

How to Get Discounts on Frames and Discontinued Lines

How to Get Discounts on Frames and Discontinued Lines

Eyewear and contact lenses are vital to the optometry field. Keeping this in mind, doctors should be aware of the purchase costs of these goods to boost their revenue. Frame reps make commissions on sales, so they’re incentivized to sell as much as possible, but are...

Designing a Modern Optometry Practice

Designing a Modern Optometry Practice

One question that optometrists should consider is, “When patients walk into your optometry office, how do you want them to feel?” Naturally, patients desire comfortable, welcoming, and modern environments, as these characteristics put them at ease. Therefore,...

November 2022: Native American Heritage Month

November 2022: Native American Heritage Month

Native American Heritage Month celebrates a rich culture and educates people about issues unique to the Native American community. It’s an opportunity to draw attention to health issues that disproportionately affect Native Americans. It’s a group that is at higher...

Top 3 Reasons to Work with Smaller Plan Providers

Top 3 Reasons to Work with Smaller Plan Providers

In the healthcare benefits industry, brokers are essential in helping small businesses find plans. Smaller companies might not have the resources or experience to do thorough research into the options available. Fortunately, there are brokers who understand that...

3 Signs It’s Time to Review and Upgrade Your Benefits Package

3 Signs It’s Time to Review and Upgrade Your Benefits Package

A routine inventory of your benefits package can tell you where you may be able to reduce spending and, equally importantly, can also ensure that it continues to meet the needs of employees. That’s why Vision Care Direct of Oklahoma recommends reviewing your benefits...

October 2022: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October 2022: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You might be wondering about the link with vision health. The truth is that a simple eye exam can sometimes detect early signs of cancer. Breast cancer can result in metastasis. When cancer cells break away from the main tumor, they...

Understanding the Ins and Outs of the Vision Plans You Accept

Understanding the Ins and Outs of the Vision Plans You Accept

For eye doctors in Tulsa OK, as well as other states, a regular review of the plans you’re currently accepting, and their ins and outs, is something you should be doing. By understanding the vision plans you accept, you can better identify how you are paid and the...

Top Strategies for Helping Plan Providers Meet Their Goals

Top Strategies for Helping Plan Providers Meet Their Goals

When trying to reduce healthcare spending, employers who offer employee benefits in the state of Oklahoma, as well as anywhere else, should be aware of one fact: there are options available that don’t increase the costs to employees via high deductibles. As a broker,...

Rethinking How You Offer Value Part 3: Build Digital Connections

Rethinking How You Offer Value Part 3: Build Digital Connections

The pandemic has sped up the digital transformation. Many professionals are embracing the virtual world because they realize connections matter. We've been sharing tips about how to rethink the way you offer value as a broker who offers plans accepted by an...

eGuide: Top 10 Ways Vision Care Direct Makes a Broker’s Job Easier

eGuide: Top 10 Ways Vision Care Direct Makes a Broker’s Job Easier

Top 10 Ways eGuide - Vision Care Direct Makes a Broker’s Job EasierOur eGuide is chocked full of ways Vision Care Direct can simplify working with a vision plan.  When you quote a vision plan certainly you are looking at the price and size of the network, and so is...

FDA Says Stop Using This Eyecare Product Today

FDA Says Stop Using This Eyecare Product Today

In February 2023, the Food and Drug Administration strongly advised people to stop using Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Eye Ointment, citing the possibility of bacterial contamination. Citing safety issues like “lack of appropriate microbial testing" and “lack of proper...

FDA Pushes for Stronger LASIK Warnings

FDA Pushes for Stronger LASIK Warnings

Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, or LASIK, one of the most widely sought-after vision correction procedures, is now under scrutiny due to the potential for lasting side effects. Therefore, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that it is...

The Link Between Nutrition and Eye Health

The Link Between Nutrition and Eye Health

If you want to improve the overall health of your eyes, adding a few vitamins and minerals is an excellent place to start, as researchers have continued to link nutrition and eye health. According to the American Optometric Association, certain eye-friendly nutrients...

Vision FAQ: Your guide to choosing the right plan for your business

Vision FAQ: Your guide to choosing the right plan for your business

From monthly premiums to specific provider networks, shopping for a vision plan can seem intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be. Choosing the vision care plan best suited for your workers involves a delicate balance of benefits and costs. Ultimately, though, a vision...

Search blog posts