Non-Profit Trusted Source of Non-Commercial Health Information
The Original Voice of the American Academy of Anti-Aging, Preventative, and Regenerative Medicine
logo logo
Health Tips Behavior Environment Healthy Living

The Benefits of Donning Prescription Sunglasses for Vision Correction and Protection

4 months, 2 weeks ago

3765  0
Posted on Dec 12, 2023, 2 p.m.

Sunglasses are a necessity. We've previously noted that wearing sunglasses is vital for better eye health, as it protects you from UV damage that can lead to vision loss, prevents foreign bodies like dust from entering and irritating the eyes, and slows down aging in the skin surrounding them by shielding them from the sun. However, sunglasses aren’t just summer accessories.

Since the sun's UV rays are still present on cloudy and even snowy days, it's best to wear them year-round. Unfortunately, this can be troublesome if you’re among the 62% of Americans who use glasses due to myopia, presbyopia, and vision correction. Luckily, you can consider investing in prescription sunglasses. These have corrective lenses that address your vision needs so you can still see clearly while shielding your eyes from the sun.

If you’re on the fence about getting a pair, keep reading to discover how donning them can provide both better vision correction and protection:

Prescription sunglasses prevent your eyesight from worsening

Excess sun exposure further worsens your vision. It can modify your lens proteins, increasing your risk of experiencing blurry eyesight, cataract formation, and deteriorating vision. More severe risks include pinguecula—a deposit in the eye's white area that can cause irritation—and pterygium, a growth that covers the iris and pupil and prohibits full vision. That's why protecting your eyes from sun damage is crucial. You don’t want to experience further decline in your eyesight—especially if you already need glasses to correct refractive errors. Just like their regular counterparts, prescription sunglasses come with lens coatings that provide 100% UV protection. At the same time, these lenses will also come with your prescriptions on them. That way, you can continue having clear vision while keeping your eyes safe from further damage.

Prescription sunglasses reduce glare

Another way the sun can affect your eyesight is through its glare. It can overwhelm your eyes with bright light they don't know how to manage, preventing you from seeing things clearly. As a result, you’ll have to squint and strain your eyes to see, which can cause discomfort that leads to headaches and migraines later on. By impeding your vision, it also makes you more prone to accidents. Glare can bounce off water, snow, and other surfaces before hitting your eyes, so simply turning away from the sun isn’t enough. That's where prescription sunglasses—especially those with polarized lenses—can help. Such lenses have a special chemical that lets them filter light, preventing glare from passing through. Wearing them lets you see your surroundings more clearly and increases visual comfort by eliminating eye strain. That way, you don't need to squint to see clearly and can better avoid accidents in sunny conditions.

You can get the right lenses for your needs

As someone who wears prescription glasses, you may need special lenses to correct your vision. Fortunately, purchasing prescription sunglasses allows you to get various lenses depending on your needs. Among the lenses you can choose from are progressive lenses to address more than one vision condition and concave lenses that are used for treating nearsightedness. You can also get plus lenses, which are thicker in the middle to treat your farsightedness, and cylindrical lenses for astigmatism. With the range of lenses available, prescription sunglasses make vision protection even more accessible to anyone who also needs vision correction.

They're more convenient to use

By now, we've established that prescription sunglasses combine vision correction and sun protection in one package. However, you may be thinking that other eyewear types can do the same. For example, getting clip-on sunglasses allows you to attach sunglasses lenses to your regular prescription glasses and remove them when nighttime comes—suitable for day-to-night transition. However, you can easily lose your clip-ons since they’re not always attached to your glasses. Moreover, you won't have eye protection if you forget them when leaving the house, driving, or traveling. And though transition lenses darken once you move outdoors, they don't provide sufficient UV and glare protection. Investing in prescription sunglasses is much more convenient, so you can always guarantee corrected and safeguarded eyesight. This also means that when you're out and about, you’ll only have to worry about one pair of eyewear instead of having your eyeglasses and clip-ons scattered in your bag or vehicle.

Donning prescription sunglasses is a convenient way to correct and protect your vision from further damage. Invest in a pair today to experience the benefits above.

This article was written for WHN by RUTH ANN JOHN who is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about health, wellness, and sustainability. When she’s not typing away at her keyboard, you can find her completing an oil painting or doing DIY projects.

As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement.

Opinion Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of WHN/A4M. Any content provided by guest authors is of their own opinion and is not intended to malign any religion, ethic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything.

Content may be edited for style and length.

References/Sources/Materials provided by:

https://www.worldhealth.net/news/does-wearing-sunglasses-have-any-impact-your-eye-health/

https://statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2023/10/01/wait-is-everybody-wearing-glasses-nowadays/

https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2023/07/protect-your-eyes-sun-damage

https://www.lenscrafters.com/lc-us/sunglasses

https://menafn.com/1106273974/Clip-On-Sunglasses-The-Perfect-Solution-For-Day-To-Night-Transitions

WorldHealth Videos