Protecting your vision as you age depends heavily on one simple daily habit: wearing sunglasses. Investing in the right eyewear shields your eyes from cumulative solar damage and supports a healthier, more active lifespan.

• Block Harmful UV Radiation: Continuous exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light damages the proteins in your eye’s lens over time. Wearing sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection prevents early cataracts and macular degeneration, keeping your vision sharp late into life.
• Prevent Dynamic Aging Signs: Wearing shades stops you from squinting in bright sunlight. This reduces the formation of deep wrinkles and crows’ feet around your eyes, preserving a youthful appearance.
• Shield Against Structural Damage: Long-term solar exposure can cause tissue growths on the whites of your eyes, known as pterygiums. Sunglasses act as a physical barrier against the wind, dust, and UV rays that trigger these painful conditions.
• Enhance Longevity Through Activity: Clear, healthy vision allows you to stay physically active, drive safely, and remain independent as you age. Protecting your eyes ensures you can participate in life-extending daily exercises and outdoor hobbies.

To protect your eyes and the delicate skin around them from aging, choose sunglasses that block 100% of UV rays and provide wide coverage.

Check for Maximum UV Protection

• 100% UV Block: Buy glasses labeled 100% UVA and UVB protection or UV400. This label means the lenses stop rays as small as 400 nanometers from harming your eyes.
• Ignore Darkness: Darker lenses do not mean better protection. A lightly tinted lens with UV400 blocks more sun than a dark lens with no UV coating. Uncoated dark lenses cause your pupils to open wider, letting in more harmful light.

Choose the Right Size and Shape

• Oversized and Wraparound: Pick large or wraparound frames. They block light from coming in through the top, bottom, and sides.
• Protect Skin: Bigger frames shield the thin skin around your eyes. This helps prevent wrinkles and sun spots.

Consider Lens Extras

• Polarized Lenses: Polarized options cut glare from water, snow, and roads. They improve comfort, but you must still check that they have a UV400 label.
• Amber or Gray Tints: Gray, green, or brown lenses reduce distortion. Amber or rose tints may help block blue light, which can speed up age-related eye damage.