Solar Radiation - Sunglasses-Sport and polarized eyewear

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Solar Radiation
Solar Radiation & Your Eyes

ULTRA VIOLET- INVISIBLE SOLAR RADIATION
The Sun is the energy source that sustains all life on earth. Ultra Violet (UV) radiation is simply one form of energy coming from the Sun. UV rays are the Sun's invisible "burning" rays-- the ones that cause Sunburns, and in some cases, skin cancer. As with the dog whistle, which can be heard by Fido but not by you, Ultra Violet radiation is always present but unseen. However, its effect on our skin and our eyes is dramatic. Melanomas, cataracts, skin cancer and retinal damage are traceable to these hidden destroyers. Most dermatologists and skin cancer experts recommend wearing skin protection products whenever outdoors because the skin is exposed to UV radiation even on cloudy or overcast days. The same advice can be applied o Sunglasses. Sunglasses offer excellent eye protection if they are regularly worn. UV protective Sunglasses need not always be dark, and, some suggest having one type of glasses for light Sun and another, darker pair, for bright Sun. Having both will insure safer eyes regardless of Sun conditions.

The Sun's electromagnetic energy is measured in Nanometers (one billionth of a meter) and only a portion of this energy relates to light. That portion is further broken down as follows:

UVA - 320 TO 400 Nanometers (NM): These rays of the Sun maintain a relatively constant intensity throughout the year and also penetrate more deeply into the skin's layers that UV-B rays. These rays, invisible to you until approximately 385 NM contribute to premature aging and wrinkling of the skin, to Sunburn and even to skin cancer.

UVB - 286 to 320 NM: These rays, which are stronger that UV-A, are more intense in summer months, at higher altitudes and closer to the equator. UV-B is the most common case of Sunburning, can contribute to premature aging of the kin, and can cause cataracts-- a permanent clouding of the eye, which greatly reduces vision. The UV-B exposure we get over the course of our life can even cause skin cancer and alter your immune system.

UVC - Measured as below 286 NM: These rays, although the strongest and most dangerous, are normally filtered by the ozone layer and do not reach the Earth.
Exposure to Ultra Violet Radiation is thought to be a major contributing factor to cataracts and to other ocular damage. A pair of Sunglasses that carries a UV400 label blocks virtually 100% of the Sun's radiation up to and including 40 Nanometers. Most Sunglasses sold in the U.S., by reputable stores, offer adequate, but varying levels of protection from UV radiation, There are voluntary guidelines established by the Sunglass Association of Americas in coordination with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

ANSI regulation number Z80.3 divides the Sunglass lenses offered to the consumer into three categories: Cosmetic (lens blocks 70% UVB and 20% UVA) offer little protection, General Purpose (lens blocks 95% UVB and 60% UVA) provides good protection and Special Purpose (lens blocks 99% UVB and 60% UVA) which is the best protection for strong Sun conditions.