The sun’s UV rays don’t just negatively impact your skin. Sunlight can also cause significant damage to your eyes. Eye cancer, cataracts, pterygium, and even blindness are the most common symptoms of over-exposure to UV light. The good news is you can protect your eyes from these negative outcomes with prescription sunglasses.
Wearing a hat, not looking at the sun directly, and avoiding tanning beds are other top tips for protecting your peepers.
What you may not know is that there are other benefits of wearing sunglasses aside from maintaining your eye health. What are these advantages? We’re talking about seven of them next, so keep reading.
1. Your Eyes Will Stay Healthy
When you buy prescription sunglasses, you’re protecting your eyes from all the problems that come from sun exposure. Studies show that wearing sunglasses prevents up to 20% of cataracts diagnoses.
Just make sure that you pay attention to your chosen pair’s UV rating. The best prescription sunglasses have 100% UV protection, which is also known as UV400 protection.
100% UV and UV400 designations mean your sunglasses will protect your eyes from the full spectrum of sunlight, including harmful UV-A and UV-B rays.
2. Sunglasses Block HEV Light
UV-A and UV-B light isn’t the only type of sunlight you need to worry about these days. Blue light (also known as HEV light) is another type of sun ray that can affect your health.
You may know blue light because of its use in smart devices. And this light doesn’t just impact your ability to get to sleep at night. HEV rays from the sun can also contribute to macular degeneration.
Wearing full-spectrum sunglasses during the daytime reduces your risk of developing macular degeneration. At the same time, prescription shades can boost your overall health by preventing sleep disturbances from HEV light.
3. You Can Still Get Your Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient. But the human body doesn’t produce this nutrient naturally. Instead, we must ingest vitamin D through the foods we eat or by exposing our skin to sunlight.
Not many foods contain vitamin D. That’s why getting enough sun is absolutely critical to your health. Without enough sunlight and, therefore, vitamin D, people can suffer from:
- Tiredness
- Bone, joint, and muscle pain
- Poor mood and anxiety
Wearing your sunglasses can protect your eyes while also helping you get enough sun. That way, you won’t have to deal with the negative health effects of too little vitamin D.
4. Sunglasses Reduce Eye Irritation
Dust, dirt, grass, and bugs constantly flying into your eyes? You won’t have to worry about projectiles any longer when you choose to wear prescription sunglasses.
You can see potentially harmful objects better. Your eyes will also be completely protected in case one of these projectiles is aimed at your eyeball. The eye is extremely sensitive; exposure to a projectile can be just as damaging as many of the ocular health conditions we’ve listed above.
If you wear contacts, prescription sunglasses can provide relief from irritating contact lenses. You can exchange your contacts for shades when your eyes are dry and itchy or when you’re swimming.
5. You Get to Protect Your Eyes While You Drive
If you need to wear glasses while you’re driving, you may face a conundrum. Should you nix your glasses for sunglasses to protect your eyes? Or should you try to wear your sunglasses over your glasses to ensure you can also see?
With prescription sunglasses, you don’t have to choose one or the other. You can wear your glasses at nighttime and your sunglasses during the day, no squinting required.
Best of all, people of all eye types can get prescription sunglasses. There are prescription sunglasses lenses for nearsightedness and farsightedness. You can even get prescription shades if you have astigmatism, need bifocals, or require progressive lenses.
6. Sunglasses Are Better Than Clip-on Shades
Another big pro of wearing prescription sunglasses? You can ditch your old-fashioned clip-on shades for something more modern.
Clip-on shades were cool a decade ago. But updated technology now allows for prescription lenses made of any materials and with all coating types. You can get polarized lenses, tinted lenses, or anti-scratch coated lenses.
But wait! You may be wondering: can I still get lenses that darken in response to sunlight if I get rid of my clip-ons?
There are many prescription sunglasses available with photochromic lenses, which is what allows sunglasses to adjust to sunlight. That way, you won’t miss your outdated clip-ons one bit.
7. You Can See in Style
If you love the look of designer shades, you’re going to love this: you can switch out regular lenses from any sunglasses and exchange them for prescription lenses. And, yes, that includes your favorite Ray-Ban sunglasses.
The only exception to this rule is wide, wrap-around sunglasses. These futuristic-looking shades are cool, but the way the lenses are shaped distorts the vision.
So, what are you waiting for? Go pick up those stylish Ray-Ban prescription sunglasses you’ve always wanted. You’ll be doing your fashionable closet and your eye health a favor!
Prescription Sunglasses in Houston, Texas
Prescription sunglasses aren’t just good for your eye health. They can also help you get more vitamin D from the sun, reduce eye irritation, and add to your stylish wardrobe.
Looking for a place to grab prescription sunglasses near me? Come get your eyes checked at EZ Optical and let us help your find the best prescription shades for you!
