The Science (and Fashion) of Sunglasses

… and how they could help bring the myopia epidemic out into the cold hard light of day

by Ben Collins

With growing awareness and concerns surrounding the current myopia epidemic, outdoor time and exposure to light have been touted as one simple yet effective measure for stifling its development.1

Great! Who doesn’t like getting out of the office or classroom, soaking up some rays, and enjoying a beautiful vista or two in the name of eye health, am I right?! Too easy!

But hang on a minute… what about those other nasties that can damage our eyes in the outdoor environment? Over or prolonged exposure to harmful UV light rays can cause additional or even more serious vision impairments!

Just like our skin can get burned if we lie in the sun too long without adequate protection (sunscreen, shirt, hat, etc.), our corneas can also get irritated and inflamed because of UV rays, resulting in photokeratitis or ‘sunburned eyes’. Studies have linked exposure to high levels of UV light with an increased risk of cataract development, and it can potentially escalate macular degeneration as well.

Protect those precious eyes!

Yikes! All sounds a bit grim. But surely a quality pair of sunglasses, combined with a decent wide-brimmed hat should be enough to keep our eyes safe out there in the big wide world?

Certainly. Modern sunglasses are not only a thing of beauty and fashion, but also a highly effective tool for protecting your eyes from the elements. A good pair of shades with a UV400 rating can block 99% to 100% of UVA and UVB rays. Tinted, anti-reflective, polarized, and transitional lenses can also help reduce glare and eye strain in harsh light.

Keep it out? Or let it in?

But wait a minute. If — in light of myopia development — sunshine and outdoor time are good for our eyes, wouldn’t wearing sunglasses be counterproductive in this instance?

Well, not really. Dr. Jeffery J. Walline, associate dean for Research at the Ohio State University College of Optometry in the United States, broke it down for us.

“There is no evidence that indicates that sunglasses either slow or increase myopia progression,” Dr. Walline said. “Some would state that sunglasses may increase myopia progression if the amount of sunlight that enters the eye is reduced. However, there are a couple of primary reasons to believe this is unlikely. First, increased outdoor time has been proven by many studies to delay the onset of myopia, but most studies report that outdoor time is not related to myopia progression. And second, the amount of light hitting the eyes while wearing sunglasses is greater than the amount of light believed to be necessary to delay myopia onset.”2 them that says ‘UV protection’ or ‘UVA and UVB protection’, then they should provide the protection necessary. If they don’t have a sticker that says ‘UV protection’ in some form, then they aren’t worth the cost involved,” he explained. by covering more of the face, thus allowing less light into those precious retinas.

So, do we really need to spend hundreds of dollars on the latest shades with all the bells and whistles? While various technologies and trends such as colored tints, anti-reflective, polarized, and transitional lenses can certainly ease the burden on the eyes (especially in extreme situations, like out on the water or in the snow), they are not essential for protecting our eyes from UV rays.

UV light tends to bounce off surfaces and finds its way into the eye through the gaps between your glasses and your face. So this latest trend in outdoor eyewear is not only super fun and fashionable but great for general eye health as well!

It’s a win-win!

So get out there, grab a pair of shades (and maybe a cheeky accessory or two like a hat or scarf), and enjoy the great outdoors! For the sake of your eye health, of course!

He pointed to a fascinating study published in the Translational Vision Science and Technology Journal, The Effects of Different Outdoor Environments, Sunglasses and Hats on Light Levels: Implications for Myopia Prevention, which concludes that we (and children in particular) should be encouraged to spend more time outdoors while using sun-protection measures to prevent myopia.

“Right now, the evidence-based benefit of sunglasses is protection from the damaging rays of the sun. If we want to protect our eyes and preserve our vision, we should wear hats and/or sunglasses,” Dr. Walline continued.

So we can all breathe a sigh of relief knowing we can get outdoors safely as long as we use adequate eye protection to save our corneas from damaging levels of UV light and, at the same time, get that much-needed natural light to help prevent myopia.

So, what should we look for in sunglasses?

We pressed Dr. Walline a little further to see what he thought we should be looking for in a good pair of sunglasses, and his advice was succinct.

“‘It is important that the sunglasses include protection from UV light. If the sunglasses have a sticker on

Ultimately, it comes down to a matter of personal preference and the individual requirements of the consumer. For example, water or snow sport enthusiasts may well want polarized lenses, whereas your everyday wearer heading out for a picnic in the park could probably get away with a more standard lens.

Work those wrap-arounds!

Perhaps a more important aspect of effective sunglass design — and one very dear to our hearts here at Media MICE/COOKIE Magazine — could be, you guessed it, fashion!

Because let's face it, if your sunglasses don’t look great, then you are not likely to get the use out of them your eyes deserve. And the good news here is that, what’s in style right now are not only great-looking frames and lenses, but practical, robust, and ergonomic designs — which also incorporate features that add value to the protective qualities of your sunglasses.

Retro tints, oversized frames, racer or wrap-around glasses, and ecofriendly materials are all the rage this season. This is a move away from the sleek minimalist designs of the last decade or so. The advantage of large/ oversized, or wrap-around sunnies for eye health is that they provide greater protection for the eyes simply

References

1. Eppenberger LS, Sturm V. The Role of Time Exposed to Outdoor Light for Myopia Prevalence and Progression: A Literature Review. Clin Ophthalmol. 2020;14:18751890.

2. Lance C, Teo A, Vivagandan A, et al. The Effects of Different Outdoor Environments, Sunglasses and Hats on Light Levels: Implications for Myopia Prevention. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2019;8(4):7.

Contributing Doctor

Dr. Jeffrey J. Walline , OD, PhD, is the associate dean for Research at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. He received his Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Optometry, and received his Master’s and PhD degrees from The Ohio State University College of Optometry. Dr. Walline has led several pediatric contact lens studies, and he is the study chair of the Bifocal Lenses In Nearsighted Kids (BLINK) Study, a National Eye Institutesponsored randomized clinical trial to investigate the myopia control effects of soft multifocal contact lenses.

walline.1@osu.edu