Demystifying UV 400 Sunglasses & Busting Some Myths Around Them.

UV 400 sunglasses are the boon to those who care about their eye’s health. Many people wear sunglasses only as a way to make a style statement and to stop the squinting under the sun. But it is extremely crucial to see them as a device that can help our eyes stay clear from all forms of eye illnesses. From cataracts to macular degeneration and cancer of the eyelid, UV rays can damage your eyes to the core.

That’s why you need to own a pair of UV 400 sunglasses and use them regularly. If you are wondering what they are and if you can use them during everyday activities like driving, we are here to help you know. Keep reading as we feed your curiosity and also bust some myths surrounding UV 400 sunglasses.

What does the term UV 400 mean when we talk about sunglasses?

Not all sunglasses can protect your eyes the same way. Some only block a small part like 10% of the UV rays from the sun. Others block 100% of these rays and save your eyes from any harm. The second kind of sunglasses is what we call UV 400 sunglasses. These are capable of blocking both UVA and UVB rays completely.

In case you aren’t aware, UVA rays are the part of the light that can hamper your vision by damaging the retina and the natural eye lens. UVB rays, on the contrary, can wreck your cornea cells which do the job of protecting your eyes from external evils like dust and pollution.

If you have been studying ultraviolet light lately, you might be aware that there is a third form of UV light called UVC. Don’t worry now, we know we didn’t say that UV 400 sunglasses do not block UVC rays. That’s because the Earth’s atmosphere does that for us as UVC has a very low wavelength of 100 to 290 nanometers.

UVB rays have a wavelength of 280 to 315 nanometers and UVA rays have a wavelength of 315 to 400 nanometers. In case you are curious, that’s where the name UV 400 came from. It’s the largest wavelength of light that these sunglasses block that makes it to the name.

Here's a random byte of knowledge for you. UVB accounts for 10% of the ultraviolet light that is not absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere. And UVA accounts for the remaining 90%. But you need not worry about that as UV 400 sunglasses are capable of blocking both UVA and UVB.

Myths about UV400 Sunglasses.

All sunglasses have UV 400 lenses.

No wonder this is a false statement. The people who come to our stores saying they wish to verify their sunglasses bought from a local store or beach vendor, make it evident. Many cheap sunglasses only have a sticker saying ‘complete UV protection’ that is fake.

So, what do you do to ensure yours are UV 400 sunglasses indeed? Check for a CE mark on them. Or better buy them from a reputed place like Specscart where you are sure of the quality.

They are expensive.

This is not true to the core. While there are many brands with way too expensive sunglasses to buy, it is more so because of their extravagant brand name. UV 400 sunglasses can be easily bought without burning holes in your pocket at online stores. These usually have awesome discounts and add-ons for you to avail. One such store, as you know, is Specscart.

Dark sunglasses are preferable than light tint UV 400 sunglasses.

People prefer dark tint sunglasses because they are soothing to the eyes as they stop most of the light from passing in. But the light they usually block is just some visible light and not UV light. This is a bit problematic as when your eyes don’t get enough light to see things properly the pupils increase their size to get more light. This circumstance also makes more UV rays to enter the eyes and damage them.

Also, only UVR coatings or UV 400 lenses are enough to completely block UVA and UVB rays as they are specially made to block the light of up to 400 nanometers. So, these lenses or coatings can also be clear and do not need dark tints to block UV rays.

You only need UV 400 sunglasses when you are out.

We need to bust this one as many who stay indoors never even consider UV 400 lenses. While you may certainly not wear UV 400 sunglasses when you are indoors, you must at least consider the clear form of these glasses. The reason? Well, there’s quite a lot of UV rays indoors as well. Most of it can come through your glass windows which allow about 75% of UVA rays to pass if they are clear. And if the glass is reflective, this number reduces to about 30 to 50% which is still a lot of UV rays indoors.

If you use any fluorescent lighting or one that's halogen, then allow us to tell you that these also emit some, if not too much of UV light. Thus, exposing you to it without even getting outdoors. You can, therefore, choose clear UV 400 glasses or blue light blocker glasses with anti-UV coatings while being indoors.

Children don’t need UV 400 sunglasses.

False. While this should be obvious that children need UV 400 sunglasses because they spend more time outdoors than an average adult, many people still ignore the fact. Why? Because people feel that most eye-related issues happen only at a later stage in life.

But they forget that children’s eyes are more sensitive. Their clear natural lens and big pupils make more UV light enter the eyes. Thus, raising the chances of diseases like macular degeneration happening to them. This may lead to the child having a hazy vision for years. What’s worse, the child may also get susceptible to the cancer of the eyelids.

UV 400 sunglasses aren’t required on a cloudy day.

A layer of clouds can only reduce up to 10% of UV rays. The rest 90% of it is still active to harm your eyes. Moreover, with the depleting ozone layer day by day, more UV light can pass through and harm as much on a cloudy day as it does on a regular day.

Do not forget, the roads reflecting beams from street lights and headlights stay the same no matter how the weather is.

You can’t wear UV 400 sunglasses with contact lenses.

This one is certainly a false statement. Most contact lenses do not have an anti-UV coating for protection. If you do have to roam outdoors with them on, then there’s no problem in wearing UV 400 sunglasses that save you from the sun while your contacts correct your vision.

You can’t wear UV 400 sunglasses made with prescription lenses.

Busted. Opticians use prescription lenses in sunglasses to save you from the hassle of switching between pairs if you are out in the sun but also need vision correction. Since prescriptions have nothing to do with the UV 400 properties of the lenses, no wonder you can have UV 400 sunglasses made with prescriptions.

UV 400 sunglasses are not worth the money.

Quality is always worth the money. Isn’t it? UV 400 sunglasses go through rigorous testing and can help you protect against both kinds of harmful UV rays - UVA and UVB as well. They are not just tinted lenses that block out light, they are scientifically made with all the right filters and coatings for you.

UV 400 sunglasses can raise the risk of skin cancer.

There has been a lot of debate on this particular point. Research suggests that UV 400 sunglasses block out the sun’s rays which give our bodies a signal to produce the melanocyte-stimulating hormone. This hormone when produced tells the body to start the process of tanning that protects our skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Now with no light entering your eyes due to the UV 400 sunglasses, it is believed by people that the hormone will never release and thus raises the risk of skin cancer.

To start with, UV 400 sunglasses are not always dark and never too dark as well. To save our eyes from UV rays we can also choose 100% clear UV 400 lenses. This way visible light can enter the eyes and release the hormone and protect our skin.

Secondly, even if the UV 400 sunglasses block all light including all visible light, which they don't, the eyes are not the only region that signals the body to produce that hormone.

Also, if for an instance, we do believe this statement to be true, you shouldn’t forget that we can always choose sunscreens to protect our skin. But only sunglasses can protect our eyes. In case you are reconsidering whether protecting your eyes is that important; allow us to tell you that sun damage is not temporary. Diseases like cataract, macular degeneration, and cancer of the eyelids may trouble you for all your remaining life.

Can you drive with UV 400 sunglasses?

Yes. You can certainly drive with UV 400 sunglasses, but you’ll have to keep some pointers in mind.

Be certain that your sunglasses are polarised.

Unpolarised sunglasses do not block the glare that comes off reflecting from flat surfaces like roads on which you are driving. While this is less risky during the day because the glare is only from the sun’s light, you have to be more aware at night. That’s because nights bring with them loads of headlights and street lights that can lead to an accident.

Ensure that they aren’t too dark to block all forms of light.

The darkest of tints allow only 3% to 8% of visible light through them. This can be quite problematic as it will make you unable to view the road and the dashboard in front of you. Too clear lenses aren’t also as good, as they might allow some disturbing sunshine. Tints that allow about 20 to 40 % of light are good enough for driving while they protect you from the sun’s harsh rays.

See to it that you choose the right tint.

Now you know why too dark or black tints aren’t great for driving, you should stay clear from them. But there are some other colours that may ruin your driving experience. For example, tints that are pink, reddish, blue or green have been found to block out the red traffic signal. This implies your safety on the road and that of the pedestrians will be put to significant risk if you wear tints of such colours. That’s why, the recommended tint colours are amber-yellow, grey, or copper.

Make sure that they aren’t too heavy and thick.

Heavy frames of UV 400 sunglasses are bound to cause you terrible eye strains and headaches especially if you are someone who drives for long durations. A horrid experience like this isn’t good. More so, because it may also put some lives in trouble as you might not be in a proper state of mind.

Also, make sure your UV 400 sunglasses aren’t made in thick rims and temples. That’s because such thickness may lead to blocking of peripheral vision which is quite crucial to keep an eye on all sides of the road. Thus, experts recommend using sunglasses with thin temples and rims.

From where can you get UV 400 sunglasses from?

You can buy top-notch quality UV 400 sunglasses at the place that brings you the best styles of frames in variegated colours to choose from. Yes, we are talking about Specscart. More so because you have the opportunity to get free polarised and scratch-resistant lenses without paying any extra dime. Plus, you can get these UV 400 sunglasses made with prescriptions i.e., as prescription sunglasses or better, as transition (light adaptive) glasses.

In case you aren’t aware, light adaptive glasses are a kind that can change their tint colour from dark to light and light to dark based on whether you are outdoors or indoors. This happens because these lenses are made so that they absorb UV rays and change tint colour when you go out befriending the sun. So, when you are indoors these can be just a pair that also protects from indoor UV. And when outdoors these can be regular prescription sunglasses.

What’s more, if you visit our store to buy these, you can also get a free comprehensive eye test to get the latest strength for your prescription sunglasses.

It’s time you choose a sunglass frame suiting your style needs and become friends with your eyes and protect them.