Sunglasses – Style & Protection

Sunglasses work for you in a number of ways. Most of us want sunglasses that express our style. Whether you are conservative, artsy, serious, flamboyant, practical or just looking to change things up there is a pair of sunglasses that will speak to your look. From aviators to cat eye shapes, metal to acetate material, embellished to clean details and in every colour imaginable, you can find sunglasses that make the right statement.

Aside from making sure you look great, sunglasses have another very important job to do, provide maximum protection for your eyes and the delicate skin around them. Much like protecting your skin with sunscreen, a good pair of sunglasses will protect your eyes against damage caused by UV rays from the sun, which can accelerate the formation of cataracts and damage your retina.

How do you choose your sunglasses? When buying sunglasses, it’s important to ensure that they provide you 100% protection from UV rays. The tint on your sunglasses is there to reduce glare and provide more comfortable vision. Tinted lenses don’t necessarily protect your eyes against harmful rays, that is accomplished with a UV 400 treatment.

What about lens color? The choice of tint and color is a question of personal comfort, style or need for a specific activity. Gray shades reduce all light equally while maintaining perception of colors. A brown tint on the other hand enhances warm colors and certain tints like orange or yellow will augment contrasts and could be used for sports such as biking or skiing. However, orange or yellow tints are not intense enough to reduce glare on a sunny day. Some caution should be exercised when using orange or reddish lenses when you drive because they can alter the perception of traffic signals.

Polarized lenses block light that comes from reflection on a horizontal surface such as snow or water. They are very useful in water sports or skiing for example. However, caution is required when wearing them for winter driving because they can make it difficult to perceive black ice.

You have many choices when purchasing sunglasses. Just remember to make sure that they block UVA and UVB rays equally at 100% so you are protecting your eyes while enjoying activities.

Take advantage of the arrival of the good weather and discuss with your eye care professional the most suitable sun protection for your visual needs and lifestyle. The right fit, lens and look will have you enjoying your time out of doors more than ever.

---

CARP members receive exceptional benefits at IRIS:

• $150 towards any complete pair of prescription eyewear (frame and lenses valued at $250 or more) or prescription sunglasses
• $50 towards the purchase of an annual supply of contact lenses
• $50 towards non-prescription sunglasses valued at $100 or more
• $500 towards vision correction procedures at our ophthalmology clinic in Laval, Quebec
• $25 towards the purchase of 3 or more bottles of Eye Omega Benefits 240 Gel Caps

Register with CARP and receive your IRIS Benefits. Visit www.carp.ca.