Most of us have gotten pretty good about protecting our skin from the sun. We slather on sunscreen, hunt for shade, and wear hats when we remember (for more on sunscreen you can review our 5/21/2026 email, The Truth About Sunscreen). But when it comes to our eyes, many of us grab whatever sunglasses happen to be sitting in the car and call it a day.

That’s a mistake.

The same ultraviolet (UV) rays that can damage your skin can also damage your eyes. Unlike a sunburn, which announces itself loudly and immediately, eye damage tends to accumulate quietly over years. By the time it causes problems, the damage is already done.

What Can Sun Damage Do to Your Eyes?

Think of UV exposure as wear and tear on your eyes. As we know from skin exposure, the sun produces several types of ultraviolet radiation. The two that matter most for everyday life are UVA and UVB rays.

A simple way to remember the difference is that UVA is associated with aging and UVB is associated with burning. Both can damage tissues in and around the eye.

You may also hear about UVC rays, which are the most energetic of the three. Fortunately, almost all naturally occurring UVC radiation is absorbed by Earth’s atmosphere before it reaches us. Unless you’re working around specialized industrial equipment, welding equipment, or UV sanitizing devices, UVC is not something you need to worry about from normal sunlight.

Over time, excessive UV exposure has been linked to cataracts, which occur when the eye’s natural lens becomes cloudy. Cataracts are one of the leading causes of vision loss worldwide.

UV exposure is also associated with growths on the surface of the eye. One of these growths, called a pterygium, is sometimes nicknamed “surfer’s eye” because it is more common in people who spend long hours outdoors. These growths can become irritating and, in severe cases, interfere with vision.

The skin around the eyes is also particularly vulnerable. Basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers commonly develop on sun-exposed areas, including the eyelids.

Researchers also suspect that years of UV exposure may contribute to age-related macular degeneration, a condition that affects central vision later in life. While the relationship is more complex than it is with cataracts, protecting your eyes certainly doesn’t hurt your ability to avoid that difficult, but common age-related eye problem.

The Biggest Myth About Sunglasses

Many people assume darker lenses provide better protection.

They don’t.

A dark lens without proper UV protection is worse than you might think. The darkness causes your pupils to open wider, potentially allowing even more harmful UV light to enter the eye.

What matters isn’t how dark the lenses look. What matters is whether they block UV radiation.

When shopping for sunglasses, look for these phrases: “100% UV Protection” or “UV400.”

That’s it. Those are the words that matter most.

By law, retailers must indicate the level of UV protection. Look for lenses that provide 99 to 100 percent protection from UVA and UVB or are marked as having a UV400 rating. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulates non-prescription sunglasses as medical devices. It requires that manufacturers and retailers meet minimum requirements for UV protection, lens quality, impact resistance, labeling, and more.

UV-blocking lenses are the most important feature of all sunglasses, but they shouldn’t be the only one considered when buying a new pair.

Consider the following factors when choosing sunglasses:

• Lens material. Sunglass lenses can be made from a variety of materials, including plastic or polycarbonate. Unsure if your sunglasses have UV-blocking lenses? Many optical shops have a device called a photometer to test them.
• Fit. Choose comfort over style when selecting sunglasses frames. They should feel good, stay in place, and cover the skin around your eyes. A good fit will minimize light that enters the eye from the top, bottom, and sides of the lenses.
• Use. Choose sunglasses according to your activity. Activities near water, snow, sand, and other reflective surfaces increase UV exposure by reflecting light. Consider wearing wraparound sunglasses or goggles to protect yourself from intense light or when doing yard work or other activities that create flying debris.

What About Polarized Lenses?

Polarized lenses are wonderful, but not for the reason many people think.

Polarization reduces glare. That’s especially useful when driving, boating, fishing, skiing, or spending time around water.

When it comes to safety, polarization can protect you from unfortunate events, but not from UV sun damage. If you’ve ever been blinded by sunlight bouncing off a windshield, a wet road, or a lake, you know that polarized lenses can make a dramatic difference.

But polarization and UV protection are two different things. A lens can be polarized and still have inadequate UV protection. Likewise, a non-polarized lens can provide excellent UV protection. If you want both benefits, make sure the label specifically states both polarization and 100% UV protection.

What Color Lens is Best?

There’s really no “best” lens color. It comes down to your lifestyle and personal preference. Gray is the most popular lens color. It dims light evenly without distorting colors, making it the best choice for everyday wear and activities like driving, where color perception is critical.

Brown amber lenses are excellent at blocking blue light, reducing eye strain, and enhancing contrast and depth perception. They are ideal for activities like golf, hiking, and fishing.

Green lenses offer a combination of gray and brown benefits. They increase contrast while preserving natural color balance, which helps reduce visual fatigue.

Yellow and orange lenses are best for low-light, foggy, or hazy conditions, as they significantly brighten your view, but are not good for intensely sunny days.

Blue or purple lenses are terrific for snowy conditions or water sports, as they reduce glare while maintaining natural color perception.

Are Expensive Sunglasses Better?

Not necessarily.

A $25 pair of sunglasses that blocks 100% of UVA and UVB rays protects your eyes just as effectively as a designer pair costing hundreds of dollars.

More expensive sunglasses may offer some fashion cred, more durable materials, greater comfort, or improved scratch resistance. Those things can absolutely be worth paying for if they’re important to you. But don’t assume the price tag is buying extra UV protection.

A Few More Things to Consider

The best sunglasses aren’t necessarily the fanciest. They’re the ones you’ll actually wear.

Larger lenses and wraparound styles offer extra protection because they block sunlight entering from the sides.

If you wear prescription glasses, don’t assume you’re out of luck. Prescription sunglasses, photochromic lenses that darken outdoors, and prescription inserts are all good options.

And if you’re spending long hours near water, snow, sand, or other reflective surfaces, protection becomes even more important because those surfaces bounce UV rays back toward your eyes.

The Bottom Line

Choosing sunglasses is a lot less complicated than the marketing would have you believe.

Forget the designer labels. Forget the trendy lens colors. Forget the idea that darker automatically means better.

Look for sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB rays. Make sure they fit comfortably and cover your eyes well. Add polarization if glare bothers you.

Then wear them. Not just at the beach. Not just on bright summer afternoons. On cloudy days, winter days, and every day in between.

Your future eyes will thank you.