Everyone knows sunglasses are cool, but what you may not know is that they can protect your vision. You might be saying “I thought sunglasses were just an accessory?” Well, they are an accessory! but they are also a utility. Sunglasses have been a fashion accessory for a very long time, but they can also block harmful rays from the sun.

Choosing the correct shades can help to not only protect your vision but also protect your face and reduce wrinkles as you age. The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays will cause permanent damage to your eye health with excessive exposure if left unprotected.

As mentioned previously, the suns UV rays can cause irreversible damage to your cornea, eyelids, lens and other areas of the eye. Certain studies even suggest that excessive amounts of UV radiation exposure to your eyes will increase risks of developing macular degeneration, pterygium and cataracts.

Not all sunglasses are the same however, when choosing the right pair of sunglasses, you need to make sure that the ones you are choosing block the necessary amount of UV rays to protect your vision. Contrary to popular belief, the darkness of the lens, does not have anything to do with the amount of UV rays that are blocked. Here are some things you should be on the lookout for when picking out a new pair of sunglasses:

• Labeled to block 99 – 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays
• Screen 75 to 90 percent of visible light
• Lenses are free from distortions and imperfections