How to pick the right sunglasses

Did you know? August is Eye Health Safety Month. Here are some tips on how to pick the right sunglasses.

Just the Right Color

First, make sure your lenses have a uniform tint, that they aren’t darker in one area more than the other. To check for imperfections in the lenses,The Glaucoma Research Foundation suggests: “Hold the glasses at arm’s length and then look through them at a straight line in the distance, such as the edge of door. Slowly move the lens across the line. If the straight edge distorts, sways, curves or moves, the lens is flawed.”

Sunglasses hues can distort colors, contrasts and more, so when you pick your pair make sure they fit your daily needs and of course your fashion demands. For best contrast, go for orange and yellow colored lenses, but note that they distort colors. Brown distorts colors a bit less and gives good contrast, while colors like gray and green will maintain a neutral color balance. Blue and purple lenses are mostly useless, unless they’re a fashion statement 🙂

Just the right UV Protection

This should be your number one priority when picking sunglasses. UVA and UVB are two harmful sun rays. UVA is the one to blame for aging while UVB is the one that burns us. In short, overexposure to either rays can damage your skin or worse, you can be at risk for skin cancer. To avoid all this and be protected from these risks, your choice of sunglasses should block 99% to 100% UVB rays. Note that some manufacturers’ labels say «UV absorption up to 400nm”, this means the same thing as 100% UV absorption.

Just the Right Size

It’s simple, the bigger and wider the sunglasses the more you are UV protected. Put your sunglasses on and check how much you can see around the frames, are they letting too much sun in from the top or sides? Consider sunglasses that wrap around the temples, when it comes to UV protection, these will give the best results.

Just the Right Fit

To maximize the “shade” given to your eyes, sunglass frames should fit close to your face around the brow area. For your comfort, they should sit on your nose and ears without pinching or rubbing. If you’re looking for even further comfort, try out sunglasses that are padded around the nose bridge (that’s where the sunglasses rest on your nose) and that can be adjustable to fit you best.

We hope you found this helpful, and as always, we would love to get your feedback! And here is a quick Medisafe tip, you can add to your morning reminder on Medisafe a reminder to leave the house with your sunglasses.

To your health!

The Medisafe Team