1st July 2024
Style Over Substance: More than one in five Brits in the South East opt for fashion over protection when choosing sunglasses, putting eye health at risk
- New research shows that 22% of UK adults say looks are most important when choosing a new pair of sunglasses.
- 16% admit they don’t know how effective their sunglasses are in protecting against UV rays.
- 30% agree they don’t know that levels of UV protection differ between pairs.
- Optical expert in Thame addresses the common misconceptions when it comes to choosing the safest pair of sunglasses.
Millions of Brits are putting their eye health at risk by choosing style over substance when it comes to selecting their sunglasses, according to new research from Specsavers.
22% from the South East say they are more likely to purchase a pair of sunglasses based on looks alone rather than the level of protection against ultraviolet (or UV) rays they provide.
The poll of 2,000 UK adults also uncovered a lack of awareness around how effective – or ineffective – an individual pair of sunglasses can be against UV rays.
In the UK, sunglasses must bear the CE Mark and be marked as UV400 to offer effective UV protection.[i]
16% admit to not knowing how effective their chosen shades are in protecting them from UV rays, while 30% said they were unaware that sunglasses had different levels of UV protection.
A quarter (25%) reported that they believed sunglasses with larger lenses provided better protection from UV rays, a further 13% also thought that sunglasses with darker lenses offered this same protection.
The study also showed that 34% of people are concerned about sun damage to their eyes if they forget their shades on a sunny day, but that 37% are more worried about not being able to see at the time. 6% confess their biggest concern would be adding to the wrinkles around their eyes.
While 32% wish they’d taken better care of their eyes in the past, only 21% wear sunglasses all year round. This is despite the risk of sun damage during any season, with only 14% wearing sunglasses on dull days.
Ash Farooq, optometrist at Specsavers Thame, explains: “Long-term sun exposure can cause irreversible damage to your eyesight and can increase the risk of specific eye conditions such as cataracts or age-related macular degeneration, a common cause of blindness.
“The right sunglasses can protect the eyes by filtering UV light – however, many people still choose a cosmetic pair over safety, which may cause the pupil to dilate, increasing the amount of UV light filtering into the eyes. And the darkness of the lenses in your sunglasses has nothing to do with UV protection — it only helps to reduce the brightness of light that reaches your eyes.”
53% believes their eyesight has worsened over the last 10 years, with 9% reporting a significant deterioration. While small amounts of sunlight can be good for your body, frequent exposure to UV rays can have a negative impact on your vision. In the short-term, UVA and UVB rays can lead to photokeratitis (a type of sunburn to the cornea) and in the long-term, they can increase your risk of developing more serious eye conditions.
Ash adds: “It’s worrying that so many people say they would choose style over UV protection – when it really is possible to have both. There are a lot of myths around sunglasses and their UV protection, and it can be hard to know which pair to choose. Our advice is to speak to your optician, as they will be able to advise you – and help you pick out a stylish prescription pair (or two on our 2-for-1 deal) that will tick all the boxes.”
To browse the range of UV-protected sunglasses available at Specsavers, visit: Prescription and designer sunglasses | Specsavers UK.
[i] Specsavers UV Protection: https://www.specsavers.co.uk/glasses/buyers-guide/uv-protection#:~:text=How%20to%20tell%20if%20a,'%20followed%20by%20'CE'.
