Four Stages of Protection

First and foremost, you should know that there are four degrees of UV protection for sunglass lenses. These are classified from the least efficient to the most technical. Thus, the category 0 is by no means recommended to face the sun’s rays. Glasses that offer this kind of protection should be exclusively reserved for aesthetic purposes.

Category 1 provides very basic protection. By wearing category 1 sunglasses, your cornea and eyesight could be severely damaged.

The most common degrees of protection are categories 2 and 3. They offer a perfect balance of good eye protection and affordable prices. Optometrists often recommend them for use in the city, on sunny days, or for driving. Visual comfort will be even better if you opt for polarized lenses that reduce glare and light reflection.

Category 4 UV protection for sunglasses is exclusively reserved for very sunny weather when the reflection of light is dazzling, like near bodies of water, or near snow-covered mountains. Sun reflection on snow or water increases the impact of the rays and requires the protection provided by category 4 glasses. Optometrists, however, recommend that they not be used for driving because the lenses filter too much light, which may distort the details of the road environment.

A Guarantee of Quality

Remember that your sunglass lenses do not always filter all UV and that a UV400 or 100% UV label must show on your glasses to ensure the quality of the product.

This means that the sunglass lens is filtered to prevent UVA and UVB rays from damaging the cornea. This is an obvious investment to make knowing that the sun’s rays can seriously damage our eyesight in the long-term.

At VU Eyewear in Montreal, optometrists advise you to choose your sunglasses. No matter what shade you choose, our eye specialists will tell you which UV protection to opt for depending on how you use your sunglasses.