The truth about sunglasses
Boots Opticians
Opticians
Reading time: 3 minutes
If your sunglasses spend more time on your head than on your face, this one’s for you!
There are many spec-tacular (sorry, we had to!) benefits to wearing your sunnies. As well as adding a fashionable touch to any outfit, they also protect your peepers from the damaging effects of the sun's UV (ultraviolet) rays.
Want to get totally clued up? We’ve created a sunglasses cheat sheet to help you get to grips with the facts.
Children should wear sunglasses
Thought your little one didn’t need sunnies? Quite the opposite! Children’s eyes are particularly prone to sun damage because they have larger pupils and clearer lenses, which allow more UV to get in.
From tiny tots to teens, make UV protection a family affair with our range of kids’ sunglasses.
UV light can cause long-term damage to your eyes
Exposure to UV light can make you more likely to get cataracts (that’s the fancy term for a gradual clouding of the lens which leads to blurry vision) or age-related macular degeneration (AKA a gradual loss of vision in the centre of your eye).
Lenses with a darker tint don't necessarily provide more UV protection
Newsflash! Just because the lens appears darker, doesn’t mean it offers better protection.
In fact, wearing sunnies with dark lenses without enough UV protection can actually be worse than wearing no sunglasses at all. Why? Because they can cause the eyes’ pupils to dilate (get bigger) and let more harmful light in.
All sunglasses don't offer the same UV protection
Those sunnies you bought on holiday for ? Yep, chances are they’re not providing enough UV protection. The level of UV protection provided by sunglasses can vary from pair to pair, but you can rest assured that at Boots Opticians all our sunglasses meet the International Standard of ISO 12312-1:2013 (en). You’ll look great and feel safe.
You still need sunglasses when it's cloudy
Don't let those clouds fool you! The sun's rays can be just as tough on your peepers when it's overcast. In fact, cloud cover only reduces the amount of UV light by 10 percent. Yep, 10!
You still need sunglasses in the winter sun
Gloves? Check. Scarf? Check. Sunglasses? Huh…?
It may be -2°C outside, but that doesn’t mean you should leave those shades behind. Why? Because the sun's rays are still strong even when the sun sits lower in the sky.
Polarised lenses don't offer extra UV protection
Although they don’t offer extra UV protection, polarised lenses certainly have their benefits.
As well as reducing glare on flat and shiny surfaces, they can help increase contrast, leaving you with comfortable, clear vision on sunny days.
Whether you spend a lot of time driving, fishing, cycling or skiing, you can add polarised lenses to your sunglasses for as little as an additional £70 at Boots Opticians.
Tinted lenses don't offer extra UV protection
Although it won’t affect the level of UV protection, adding a coloured tint can help reduce eye strain and glare, improve contrast and enhance depth awareness.
Our green, grey and brown tints can be added to your prescription sunnies for free, while our mirrored blue and silver tints can be added for an extra £30.
You can wear sunglasses with corrective lenses
Clip-on shades? Not anymore!
At Boots Opticians, all our sunglasses are available with prescription or non-prescription lenses, depending on your needs. An eye test isn’t required, just a valid prescription within two years.
That’s not all! You can also get UV protection added to contact lenses, and even to glasses with clear lenses. But for the highest level of protection, we’d always recommend a pair of sunglasses.
Need a new pair?
Now you know the truth about sunglasses, are you ready to give them a go? From Jimmy Choo and Calvin Klein to Kate Spade and Catch London, we’ve got a huge range to suit every budget, occasion and lifestyle.
2nd pair 1/2 price on prescription glasses & sunglasses!
Better still, when you buy any pair of prescription glasses or sunglasses, you’ll get all additional pairs half price – so you’ll always have a pair to match your look!
Need corrective lenses adding? No problem. If you have a prescription dated within the last 12 months (even if it’s not from Boots Opticians), bring this along when purchasing your new sunglasses. If you haven’t had an eye test in the last year, we’ll need to quickly check your eyes. You can book your eye test online or by calling 0345 125 3752.*
Complete Satisfaction Guarantee
We're totally confident you’re going to love your new sunglasses, and with our Complete Satisfaction Guarantee (which covers returns, warranty and care), you can be completely confident too. Read more about that here.
