Eye Health — Replace Those Sunglasses

Not that I've ever had a pair of sunglasses long enough to find out if this study is true, but research indicates that that old trusty pair of sunglasses you had for a couple of years may no longer really be effective. In fact, eye health experts are now saying that you might want to replace those old favorites because the UV protection may have worn off. this is especially true if you're like me and buy cheap sunglasses.

It seems that not all sunglasses are created equal and while the UV protection is baked into the actual lenses on good sunglasses, with the cheap ones, the UV protection is nothing more than a thin coating and it scratches and wears pretty easily.

It's interesting to note that the experts also say that you shouldn't buy sunglasses, even expensive ones, that have already been exposed to lots of sunlight. If the sunglasses in a store are kept in an area where they get a lot of sunlight, those glasses could already have weakened UV protection.

Before you panic and rush out and buy a $300 pair of sunglasses, keep in mind that this research is pretty new and nothing is for certain yet when it comes to loss of UV protection. Still, if the UV layer on your sunglasses seems to be wearing off, don't leave anything to chance. After all, it's only your eyesight.