The True Cost Of Buying Cheap Sunglasses

I’ve never been one to shell out more than $100 on a pair of sunglasses. Being the irresponsible yet self-aware person I am, I know I will drop them 20 times or leave them behind at a restaurant, or my pup will run off with them as his new prized chew toy.

But when we buy a cheap pair of knock-around glasses from the corner drugstore or Amazon, are we potentially putting our eye health at risk?

HuffPost spoke to ophthalmologists about what to look for when buying a pair of sunglasses to help keep you out of their offices in the future.

While many of us diligently protect our skin against ultraviolet light, some still neglect to protect their eyes from these damaging rays — which can be costly in the long run.

“UV light can damage both the exterior structures of the eye, such as the cornea, and the outer layer of the eye, the conjunctiva,” said Dr. Mark Blecher, a Philadelphia-based ophthalmologist and the chief medical administrator at Wills Eye Hospital.

While high-quality sunglasses can protect against the sun’s harmful rays, this might not always be the case for lower-quality glasses.

“Poorly made sunglasses may not have proper protection against UV rays,” said Dr. Victoria Tseng, a California-based ophthalmologist and assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

When we venture outdoors without adequate UV protection for our eyes, we risk long-term damage.

“[Wearing poor-quality sunglasses] could lead to insufficient protection in the sunlight and increase risk of eye conditions susceptible to UV damage, such as cataracts,” Tseng said.

Though conditions like cataracts are typically associated with older individuals, people aren’t immune to developing them in their youth.

“We have seen people who work long hours outdoors require cataract surgery at a younger age,” Tseng said.

“People can [also] develop small lesions called pterygia and pingueculae on the white parts of their eyes and the cornea, which can subsequently inflame, causing redness and sometimes even visual disturbances,” said Dr. Avnish Deobhakta, an ophthalmologist at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai.

Tseng noted that pterygia may even require surgical removal.

The eye specialists noted that in extreme cases, cancer that develops in the eye may even require the surgical removal of the entire organ.

“Although they’re rare, there are several ocular cancers that can develop with prolonged exposure to UV light,” Deobhakta said. “It is known that intraocular tumors, such as melanomas inside of the eye, and skin cancers around the eye can occur without proper protections.”

Deobhakta also noted that cancers occurring in the eye are more likely to occur in people with lighter-colored irises.

It’s important to remember that sunglasses offer protection not only for your eyes but for the delicate skin surrounding them. This protection is crucial for individuals with fair skin, who are more prone to skin cancers.

“Skin around the eyelids can get cancer like skin anywhere else on the body,” Tseng said. “For fair-skinned individuals, I would recommend carefully selecting sunglasses with good UV protection.”

“The most severe form of sun-related damage we have ever seen occurred during a time when our patient did not wear the correct sunglasses to block the sun’s rays during the eclipse event years ago,” said Deobhakta. “This caused permanent damage to her retina and a permanent visual defect.”

Albeit a rarer incident of sun-related damage, it’s a stark reminder of the sun’s potency.

“Those with dry eye or other corneal diseases are at more risk,” Blecher said. “There is some evidence that those prone to macular degeneration are [at risk] as well, as ultraviolet radiation entering the eye is a cause of cataract formation.”

And if you got laser eye surgery to ditch your usual glasses, it’s now even more important to remember your sunglasses.

“Folks who have undergone procedures like LASIK or other types of refractive surgery should ensure that they protect their eyes from the sun, as the cornea is often altered during these procedures and requires particular care from harmful forms of light,” Deobhakta said.

Blecher suggested seeking out shades that protect against two types of ultraviolet radiation: UVA and UVB.

He also advised people to “look for glasses that specifically say UV400.” This is the protection level that should be prioritized for maximum effect, said Dr. Edward Manche, the director of cornea and refractive surgery at the Byers Eye Institute of Stanford University’s School of Medicine.

“Four hundred is the equivalent of 100% UV absorption,” Manche said.

Regardless of how light or dark the lenses are, the eye doctors still recommended that you check the label for UV protection.

“It is important to note that the color or tint of the eyeglasses themselves do not actually indicate anything protective,” Deobhakta said. “Just because something looks ‘dark’ doesn’t necessarily mean it’s actually protective — it still needs a label indicating its protective features.”

And to ensure that you protect as much skin around your eyes as possible, Deobhakta recommended looking for oversize glasses.

If you are unsure of the UV protection level of a pair of glasses, Manche suggested bringing them to an optical shop.

“[Optical shops] have UV meters that can measure whether or not [your sunglasses] have protection,” Manche said. “It’s very easy to do.”

“For patients with existing cataracts, or for those who are planning on engaging in activities involving the snow or water (in which light can bounce off of the snow or water, causing temporary blindness), obtaining polarized sunglasses can often reduce the glare,” Deobhakta said.

Though all patients don’t necessarily need polarized lenses to protect themselves from UV light, the added comfort from the reduced glare may encourage some to wear their sunglasses more regularly.

“Polarized sunglasses can reduce glare and eyestrain, which can make the glasses more comfortable to wear outside,” Tseng said.

“Sometimes patients can feel so encumbered by headaches and general pressure from inappropriate fit that it results in squinting, eyestrain during reading and general discomfort, which often leads to people abandoning sunglasses altogether, exposing them to all of the risks associated with prolonged sun exposure,” Deobhakta said.

Ophthalmologists’ advice for finding the right pair of sunglasses is similar to dermatologists’ advice for choosing a sunscreen product — the best one is typically the one you’ll use every day.

“Finding glasses of a good fit around the ears and nose can increase comfort and ease of use, which will make it more likely that you can wear the glasses for long durations outside,” Tseng said.

And even though it may be less sunny outside in the fall and winter months, that doesn’t mean it’s time to leave the sunglasses behind until the sunnier days of spring.

“Even in areas where there’s no direct sun, if it’s cloudy out, you still need to wear sunglasses,” Manche said.