What you need to know about glasses with a UV filter? Selection of sunglasses by type of protection. Which UV protection is better How to avoid a low-quality purchase

Sunglasses protect from visible and invisible light components, primarily from ultraviolet rays, which cause a variety of eye diseases: snow blindness, photokeratitis, cataracts and others.

Much more common are UV 380 glasses, which filter only 95% of the ultraviolet radiation.

Sunglasses are especially necessary for children, as their delicate lenses receive more ultraviolet radiation than adults.

Checking sunglasses

To check whether the glasses are well protected, you need to measure them at the manufacturer or on special optical equipment. For example, manufacturers often mark standard UV protection ratings on their glasses.

The only way to directly check the protection is by using the fit. The tighter the lenses of the glasses fit to the face (but not too tightly so that the eyelashes do not touch the lenses), the less light they let through at the edges. Wide temples and leather upholstery can be used for the same purpose.

It is impossible to see the protection of the lenses themselves. Wherein dark lenses do not always filter ultraviolet light better than bright... It even happens the other way around - the pupils dilate more strongly from dark lenses than from light ones, and more ultraviolet radiation gets into the eyes. But for ordinary visible light, dark lenses do filter better than bright lenses.

UV protection is also independent of lens color. But you can tell by the color if they are filtering blue light. For example, blue and green lenses do not filter blue light, but yellow and brown- on the contrary, they filter too much, which leads to distorted colors and can be dangerous when driving.

You can visually check the presence of polarization: for this, you need to look through the removed glasses at a reflective non-metallic horizontal surface, rotate them along the longitudinal axis. The intensity of the glare increases with the vertical position of the glasses, and decreases (up to extinguishing) with the horizontal position.

Degree of protection

Light Category 1 80 - 43% light transmission - for wearing in cloudy weather and as a fashion accessory.
Average 2 category 43 - 18% light transmission - suitable for wearing in the city and for driving a car.
Strong Category 3 18 - 8% light transmission - to protect from the bright daytime sun.
Maximum Category 4 8 - 3% light transmission - for maximum protection in high altitude conditions, in ski resorts, in the snowy Arctic in summer. Not intended for driving a car, as it is difficult to see in them when passing from light to shadow.
Outside of the norm - less than 3% - extremely dark glacier goggles and special goggles to protect against radiation, such as welder's goggles.

Polarized Lenses are made using substances that have the ability to filter out plane-polarized rays to reduce glare from horizontal, or near-horizontal, reflective surfaces (such as water, snow, wet asphalt) or stray light from the sky. These lenses can be made from glass, but they are mostly made from plastic, such as coated with a polaroid film. Polaroid film traps 40-60% of the light, so these glasses are also sunglasses.

Artificial light does not work on these lenses if there are no short ultraviolet waves emitted by the sun. The lenses darken much less from visible light, so they are inconvenient for driving - the window glass of a car does not transmit ultraviolet light. Photochromic lenses, otherwise called "chameleons", darken from ultraviolet radiation. In a room where there is no ultraviolet light, they gradually brighten. Photochromic lenses are made from glass, polycarbonate, and other plastics.

Photochromic lenses usually darken and brighten in less than a minute, but a complete transition from one state to another takes 5 to 15 minutes.

The same lenses can simultaneously use color, polarization, gradation, photochromic effect and mirror coating in various combinations. Gradation or gradient dimming is when the lens is darker at the top and lighter at the bottom. Prescription glasses are also dark or chameleon-effect enough to be worn as sun protection. Instead, you can wear the so-called attachment lenses- dark over optical or vice versa.

Lens color

Colored lenses are used to protect the eyes from too bright light. The color of the lenses depends on the model, style and purpose of use, most often used gray, green, brown and yellow colors.

Black and smoky lenses absorb; ...

Gray or smoky and gray-green lenses absorb all colored rays almost equally, retain natural colors and are considered neutral.
Green lenses used to be ubiquitous, but it turned out that they, passing the brightest rays of the spectrum, reach the target least of all. Now green lenses are used in special glasses for patients with glaucoma.
Brown lenses distort colors slightly but increase contrast.
Blue and blue blue lenses most of all block yellow and orange rays (the brightest); lenses are used in medium to bright light as they increase contrast but do not distort colors.
Orange lenses increase contrast and depth, but distort colors.
Yellow also increase contrasts, but hardly obscure; therefore, these lenses are used by those who need clearer vision in cloudy and foggy weather.
Amber lenses are recommended in artificial light after dark.
Pink make the surrounding world more colorful and sharpen the sharpness of contrasts (the famous phrase "rose-colored glasses")
Purple lenses are most often used just for beauty.
When working with a computer, slightly tinted lenses can be used to increase contrast.
Transparent lenses are used to protect the eyes from wind, dust and chemicals. Some spectacles can be changed lenses so that they can be used in weak morning and evening light, as well as in bright noon.

At My OPTICS you can test your sunglasses for UV transmission for FREE.

Finding sunglasses is an important and challenging task. If you think that it is only a matter of fashion brands, then you are greatly mistaken. Did you know that when going for a walk around the city on a sunny day and packing your bags for a seaside holiday, you should wear different sunglasses?

Everyone knows that sunlight contains UV rays that are harmful to humans, and must be protected from them. Do you think that glasses save just from them? Not at all. Ultraviolet rays such as UV-A and UV-B are completely blocked by ordinary transparent glass and some types of plastic. There is also a third type of UV rays "C", but the ozone layer of the earth's atmosphere successfully copes with it. By the way, since we are talking about ultraviolet radiation, reflective surfaces multiply the harmful effect of UV rays. That is why it is easy to get burnt in the mountains and at sea (snow reflects light by 90%, water surface by 70%), but on the shore of a forest lake or river it is difficult (the reflectivity of green grass is only 30%). All these radiations are not visible, but only perceptible. And the dark glasses of sunglasses are designed to save our eyes from the visible part of harmful sunlight. It is the visible bright light that makes us squint and make faces, even if not on purpose.

So, all sunglasses have a filter designed for different degrees of light. In total, there are 5 degrees of protection for our eyes, and on the product of the responsible manufacturer, the filter category of sunglasses is indicated by the corresponding number.

"0" means that the lenses of the glasses transmit 80-100% of the light. This is the lowest degree of protection, such glasses are suitable only on a cloudy day.
"1" - 43–80% light transmission. Ideal for days when dense clouds give way to clear skies, that is, for variable clouds and only for the city.
"2" lets in 18–43% of the light and is also suitable for city life. A bright sunny day, shopping - these are the ideal conditions for wearing glasses marked "2".
"3". Light transmittance - 8-18%. Sunglasses with filter categories "1" and "2" are suitable for everyday urban life, and only these, marked "3", can and should be chosen for a trip to the sea. Such protection will withstand sunbathing on the beach and sailing on a yacht.
"4" means the highest degree of protection of the retina from damaging light. The throughput is 3–8%. The choice of such filters for glasses belongs to climbers and tourists who make mountain climbing.

As you can see, choosing glasses is not so easy. It is hardly worth expecting the necessary amount of important information about each item of goods on street trays, where not every unit of goods has packaging. Once you try to trust a real quality sunscreen company, you are unlikely to want to go back to the fishy market assortment. Ours could be one of the best purchases of your life. The world famous brand RB has already made the lives of millions of people brighter and their views safer.

Take advantage of the best, because you are already with us!

At all times, people tried to protect their eyes from direct exposure to sunlight: in China, the face was covered with wide-brimmed hats, in Japan, cloth bandages with slits into which they inserted mica were put on their eyes, and in India they were covered with silk strips impregnated with resin. Real sunglasses appeared 200 years ago, and they were intended for the soldiers of Napoleon's army.

What are sunglasses for?

The main purpose of sun glasses is to protect your eyes from direct sunlight.
What is the danger of such an impact?
Sunlight is made up of aggregate ultraviolet and infrared rays of different lengths. And, if infrared rays are mainly scattered in atmospheric moisture, then ultraviolet rays with a length of 280 to 380 nanometers reach the ground, they are absorbed by the lens, which protects the retina, while itself suffers:

Over the years, the proteins of the lens begin to lose their natural structure and begin to grow cloudy, which leads to the development of cataracts.
Also, the ability of the lens to focus on close objects is lost, its elasticity decreases, which leads to the development of farsightedness.

We will tell you what technical characteristics of sun-protection optics to pay attention to so that you can choose those glasses that will protect your eyes from the effects of ultraviolet radiation.

Glass or plastic?

Despite the fact that glass lenses do not transmit ultraviolet rays at all, 95% of modern manufacturers prefer special plastic:

Glasses with plastic lenses are lightweight.
They are not traumatic, which is especially important when choosing models for children and drivers.

Be careful! No matter what material you choose sunglasses (glass or plastic), their main task is to protect against ultraviolet rays, and whether the glasses will reliably protect your eyes does not depend on the color of the lenses.

Dark lenses or light lenses?

Lenses can be both dark and transparent, but they will absorb ultraviolet rays equally well only if they are covered with a special ultraviolet filter on top.

Manufacturers of quality sunglasses carefully monitor this, and be sure to indicate the degree of UV protection in the marking.
If you see a sign on the temples of glasses or in documents for them "UV400", this suggests that you have quality sunglasses in front of you.

The number 400 in the marking was not chosen by chance... It means that ultraviolet waves, the length of which is measured in nanometers and equal to 400 units, will not penetrate the protective coating. In cheap glasses, the lenses are only stained, darkened, and not covered with a special filter.
The pupil under dark lenses expands, ultraviolet rays easily penetrate under dark lenses, are absorbed by the lens, which is very dangerous for vision.

Be sure to pay attention to the fact Will the glasses protect you from ultraviolet radiation?, and only then choose the degree of light transmission of the lenses- their shading. Special markings will also tell about this, as a rule, the following inscription may be on the bow of such glasses: “ Cat. 3" or " Filter cat. 3».

Classification of glasses according to the degree of light transmission

Glasses with 0 degree of light transmission almost transparent. They let in 80 to 100% of the sun's rays. They are recommended for sports activities in the absence of bright light.
Glasses with 1 and 2 degrees of light transmission transmit from 43 to 80% and from 18 to 43% of light, respectively. They are recommended to be worn in low to medium sunlight.
Glasses with 3 degrees of light transmission should be chosen for wearing in very bright sun.

The choice will depend on where and when you are going to wear your sunglasses:

For our latitudes in the hot summer period, glasses with 2-3 degrees of light transmission are the best choice.
For springtime and early summer morning, glasses of 1-2 degrees of light transmission are ideal.
If you decide to conquer the mountains, then choose the darkest glasses of the 4th category.

Once again, we emphasize that the degree of shading of the lenses does not in any way affect their UV protection properties. But it depends on the color and size of the lenses whether the eyes will feel comfortable.

Lens color and size

Lenses not all colors and shapes will be comfortable on the eyes.

So, our experts advise opting for glasses with brown, green or gray lenses, which are considered the most pleasing to the eye, and the choice of models with colored lenses should be treated with extreme caution.
Drivers are advised to opt for glasses with gradient lenses that are darker at the top than at the bottom.
Pay attention to the size of the lenses. They have to be big. Choosing glasses with narrow lenses is not recommended. The whole point of UV protection in this case disappears, because small lenses let the rays pass through uncovered areas and limit the field of view.
The glasses should sit comfortably on the face, adhere to it, but at the same time not squeeze the temples or press on the bridge of the nose. This can cause headaches and fatigue.

Quality issue

Information about the quality of the materials used can always be found on the label, which indicates what the lenses are made of, as well as from the markings on the frame or from the passport for the product.

Abbreviations 89/686 / EEC, ANSI Z80.3, AS 1067, EN 1836 mean that the glasses are of high quality, and the materials used for their manufacture comply with international safety standards.

High-quality glasses are always equipped with an instruction manual, which describes all the features of your chosen model.

You can also check the quality of the lenses by contacting the specialists of the Glasses and Fashion salon on the street. Vasenko, 4, where with the help of an optical device - a spectrophotometer or a calorimeter - you can make sure that your sunglasses are safe.

It is better not to wear glasses at all than to wear low quality models. Only wearing glasses with UV protection will protect your eyes. This is the first and foremost thing that you should pay attention to when choosing a quality product. How dark the glasses will be and what shape they will have is a matter of taste.

For many people, sunglasses are an everyday accessory to enhance their style and create the look they want. However, it should not be forgotten that these optical products perform another important function - protecting the eyes from ultraviolet radiation. Consider what determines the degree of UV blocking in sun glasses.

Currently, there is a wide selection of sunglasses on the ophthalmic market. The assortment is replete with the presence of popular brands, a variety of shapes, designs and colors. However, when buying eyeglass optics, you need to take into account not only the decorative component, but also the protective properties of the lenses. It is important that the corrective agent provides the necessary level of eye protection from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays.

Many people wonder how to choose sunglasses according to the type of protection. We propose to understand this issue.

Should you protect your eyes from ultraviolet radiation?

To understand whether it is worth protecting your eyes from exposure to sunlight, you need to understand their types, the nature of their appearance and the effect on the human organs of vision. Up to 40% of the radiation is categorized as visible and allows us to distinguish colors. About 50% of the sun's rays are infrared. They allow you to feel warm. Finally, 10% of the sun's rays are ultraviolet radiation, which is invisible to human eyes. According to the wavelength, it is divided into several subcategories (long wave - UVA, medium wave - UVB, and short wave - UVC).

Types of UV light:

UVA - is in the range of 400-315 nm. Mainly reaches the surface of the Earth;
UVB - is in the range of 315-280 nm. Mainly retained by the atmosphere, but partially reaches the Earth's surface;
UVC - is in the range of 280-100 nm. It practically does not reach the Earth's surface (it is delayed by the ozone layer).

Do you need glasses to protect your eyes from UV rays?

Ophthalmologists claim that in moderate amounts, ultraviolet light is good for the body, since it helps to strengthen the immune system, increase the tone of the body and even improve mood. Under the influence of UV rays in the eye, metabolism and blood circulation are stimulated, as well as muscle function is improved. In addition, vitamin D is formed in the body, which strengthens the musculoskeletal system, and histamine, a substance with a vasodilating effect, is produced.

However, with intense exposure, ultraviolet rays have a detrimental effect on the body, including the organs of vision. The lens picks up long-wave UV radiation, gradually losing transparency and acquiring a yellowish tint.

In 50% of cases, in the absence of timely treatment, this eye disease is the cause of blindness. The mucous membrane of the eye and the cornea absorb medium-wave ultraviolet radiation (UVB), which can significantly damage their structure with intense exposure. The use of sun protection accessories avoids this problem.

In order to correctly approach the purchase, you need to decide what kind of UV protection your sunglasses should have. This factor should be given primary attention when purchasing these products.

Why it is worth protecting your eyes from intense ultraviolet radiation:

The lens picks up long-wave UV radiation, gradually losing transparency and acquiring a yellowish tint. This can lead to cataracts;
The cornea absorbs medium-wave ultraviolet radiation (UVB), losing its optical properties.

What protection should sunglasses have?

Many people do not know how to determine the protection level of sunglasses and mistakenly believe that the darker the lenses, the better they block UV rays. However, it is not. Clear lenses can absorb harmful radiation just as well as dark lenses if they have been specially coated on their surface. What's more, the pupil dilates under dark lenses, so in the absence of a filter, UV rays are easily absorbed by the lens.

Products from world famous brands must have a special marking that characterizes the degree of protection. Spectacle optics marked "UV400" are considered to be of the highest quality. It filters up to 99% of UVA with wavelengths up to 400nm. However, it should be borne in mind that with the systematic wearing of such glasses in the summer, a "mask" is formed on the face, since the skin around the eyes does not tan. Much more common are products labeled UV 380, filtering only 95% of UV rays. Inexpensive products provide blocking of 50% of radiation. All products that capture less than 50% of UV rays do not protect the eyes from their negative effects. They are often used for decorative purposes only.

Sometimes there are markings that indicate the degree of protection from UVA and UVB rays at once: "Blocks at least 80% UVB and 55% UVA". This means that the filter applied to the surface prevents the penetration of up to 80% of UVB rays and up to 55% of UVA rays.

Doctors advise choosing products where both indicators are above 50%.

In addition, there is another option for marking glasses:

Cosmetic. Optical products that block less than 50% of UV radiation. These glasses are not recommended for use on sunny days as they do not protect the eyes from the sun;
General are versatile products with UV filters that block 50 to 80% of UV rays. Such glasses can be used for everyday eye protection in the city, at mid-latitudes;
High UV-protection - models with enhanced UV filters that block almost 99% of ultraviolet radiation. They can be used on a bright sunny day in the mountains, near the water, etc.

How to choose sunglasses according to the degree of shade?

After you have decided on the degree of protection of glasses from ultraviolet radiation, you must select the level of their light transmission, or darkness. This parameter will determine how brightly you can perceive the world around you. Typically, this marking is located on the temple of the glasses and consists of two components: the model name and the darkness value, for example, “Cat. 3 "or" Filter cat. 3 ".

Classification of sunglasses by obscurity:

Marking (0). These products are almost completely transparent. It allows 80 to 100% of visible sunlight to pass through. Such glasses are recommended for athletes when exercising in the absence of bright light.
Marking (1,2). This optics has a light transmission of 43 to 80%, as well as 18 to 43% of light, respectively. Ideal for low to medium sun exposure.
Marking (3.4). These glasses should be used in very bright sun.

In the hot summer period, for our latitudes, the optimal choice will be optical products with 2 and 3 degrees of light transmission. For use on summer mornings, as well as in spring and autumn, models with 1-2 degrees of shading are suitable. Glasses with an index of 4 are recommended for travelers in extreme conditions, for example, when climbing mountains.

Once again, it should be clarified that the degree of darkening has nothing to do with protecting the eyes from the adverse effects of ultraviolet rays. This indicator affects exclusively the brightness of image perception and the wearing comfort of optical products.

What other protection can glasses have?

Modern manufacturers of sunglasses make sure that their products are as comfortable, practical and durable to use as possible. Therefore, in addition to the UV filter, additional coatings are often applied to the surface of products.

Polarizing filter. Fully blocks glare - rays reflected from horizontal surfaces (water, snow-covered field, car hood, etc.);
Anti-reflective coating. Cuts off some types of sun glare, increasing the comfort of use;
Mirror finish. As a rule, it is applied to one degree or another on all glasses. Reflects visible sunlight for added comfort;
Abrasion resistant coating. Increases the resistance of spectacle lenses to mechanical damage (scratches, cracks, etc.);
Melanin spraying. It is applied to the inside of the lens to prevent eye fatigue.
Gradient coating. Enhances safety while driving. The upper, darker part of the lens provides good visibility when looking at the road. In turn, the light bottom of the lenses contributes to a good view of the dashboard.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the wide selection of glasses and contact correction tools on the website. We offer you high quality products from world brands at competitive prices. With us you can easily place an order and receive the goods as soon as possible!

Summer sun gives us a beautiful tan, but ultraviolet light can be harmful to the eyes. Humanity has long come up with a way out: sunglasses that filter UV rays. Now they can be bought even at the nearest market. But is it worth it? What are the dangers for wearers of cheap plastic sunglasses? What should you look for when choosing reliable protection for your eyes? What do the mysterious numbers and letters in the marking say? MedAboutMe has everything you need to know about UV sunglasses.

The sun is the main source of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. For the inhabitants of the Earth, three main types of UV rays are important in accordance with their wavelength:

UVA is long wavelength radiation in the 400-315 nm range. Consists of approximately 95% of sunlight. Comes to the ground;
UVB - Medium wavelength radiation, lying in the range of 315-280 nm. It accounts for approximately 5% of the solar flux. Mainly retained by the atmosphere, but a small part reaches the ground;
UVC - shortwave UV radiation in the range of 280-100 nm. It is almost completely retained by the ozone layer of the Earth.

The most powerful and dangerous to humans are UVC rays. But due to their short wavelength, they cannot penetrate deep into the skin. The weakest (that is, they can transfer the least energy) are UVA rays, but they, due to their wavelength, have the maximum penetrating ability. They reach right up to the papillary and reticular layers of the dermis, where they activate the processes of melanin formation, that is, getting a tan.

When exposed to the unprotected retina of the eye, the sun's rays damage it. As a result, prolonged wearing of low-quality glasses in bright sun is dangerous to health: it provokes the development of cataracts and retinal dystrophy.

Glasses with filters that protect the eyes from both UVA and UVB rays are labeled "UV400" to indicate their ability to filter all UV rays up to 400 nm. By the way, with constant wearing of such glasses, a "mask" of unburned skin around the eyes is formed on the face.

Sometimes there are markings indicating the degree of protection against UVA and UVB rays. For example, "Blocks at least 80% UVB and 55% UVA". This means that the UV filter protects a person from at least 80% of UVB rays and 55% of UVA rays. Doctors recommend choosing glasses where both indicators are above 50%.

Finally, another labeling option:

Cosmetic - Cosmetic UV filters block less than 50% of UV radiation. Such glasses provide little protection from the sun and are not recommended for use on days of maximum solar activity.
General - universal UV filters protect human eyes from 50 to 80% of the sun's rays, that is, significantly less than half of the dangerous radiation reaches the retina. Glasses with this marking are effective for eye protection in the city, at mid-latitudes.
High UV-protection - special UV filters that block almost 100% of ultraviolet radiation. Glasses with such lenses are used on a bright sunny day near the water or in the mountains, where water and snow, respectively, increase the risk of sunlight.

Is there 100% UV protection? Glasses with similar inscriptions can be found at the "breakdowns" with Chinese consumer goods. No, it doesn't. And such glasses are 100% fake, unhealthy.

The lens shade (Filter Cat) indicates how much of the visible sunlight reaches the eye. There are 5 main categories of filters:

Cat 0 is a lens that is not tinted at all and allows 100% of sunlight to pass through. At the same time, it can protect the eyes from UV rays by 100%.
Cat 1 is a lens that allows 80% of sunlight to pass through. This is a low opacity filter that can be used in partly cloudy conditions.
Cat 2 - Only 40% of the light passes through this filter. Lenses with a medium opacity filter are used for exposure to less intense sunlight.
Cat 3 - Dark filters block most of the sun's rays and only let 15% of the light through. These glasses are effective for protecting your eyes from the sun in the tropics, by the sea and in the mountains.
Cat 4 is the most powerful filter ever, blocking nearly 100% of sunlight. Such lenses are necessary exclusively for extreme conditions and do not involve wearing them in the city unless absolutely necessary. You cannot drive a car with such glasses.

According to Russian standards, prescribed in GOST R 51831-2001 "Sunglasses" and GOST R 51854-2001 "Spectacle lenses" also speak of 5 filter categories in terms of the degree of light transmission:

category 0 - transparent filter, transmits 80% of the luminous flux or more;
category 1 - a weakly colored filter that transmits from 40 to 80% of the luminous flux;
category 2 - medium-colored filter, 18-43% luminous flux;
category 3 - dark filter, 8-18% luminous flux;
Category 4 is a very dark filter that allows 3 to 8% of the luminous flux to pass through.

In lenses made of a material that does not protect against UV rays, a transparent substance applied to the lens plays a protective role. But by itself, it does not shade glasses. Therefore, it is important to distinguish between opacity and UV filters. Cheap Chinese plastic glasses can have very dark lenses, almost black, but have no UV protection at all. Moreover, experts point out that in such fake glasses, the pupil expands to receive more light - and this increases the area of damage to the eye by UV radiation, which negatively affects health.

Thus, UV filters are needed to protect against the sun's rays that are harmful to the eyes, and the darkening of the lenses makes staying in the bright sun more comfortable. Photochromic lenses have the ability to change the degree of shade depending on the light.

Previously, the most popular lenses were glass (mineral glass). The alternatives were plastic (organic glass) and a combination of glass and plastic (laminated glass). However, times have changed, new technologies have come.

Among the most popular materials to date, the following should be separately mentioned:

CR-39 (Columbia Resin No. 39) - The original version of this type of organic glass was first obtained back in the 1940s. Today it is one of the most popular monomers in the field of spectacle lenses. It is softer than glass and therefore needs additional protective coating. In addition, the CR-39 is easy to beat, which is significantly inferior to its competitors;
polycarbonate (lexan, merlon) - "plastic metal", accidentally created in 1953. It is a lightweight and much more durable material than glass, that is, it is much safer for the wearer of the glasses. Polycarbonate has the ability to completely absorb ultraviolet light with a wavelength of up to 380 nm, so it practically does not need additional special processing;
trivex - was developed in 2000 and modified specifically for optics. It is as shock resistant as polycarbonate; the lightest material available in the optical industry today; reliably blocks ultraviolet light up to 394 nm.