STUDY:

JOURNAL:

AUTHORS: Dr. Karl Citek

ABSTRACT: Sunglasses in all price ranges appear to maintain their ability to protect wearers from harmful ultraviolet rays after a season of cleaning, new research shows.

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COMMENTARY: Researchers based at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, found that subjecting six pairs of non-prescription sunglasses to nine months of cleaning--either using soap and face tissues or a lens cleaner and soft cloths--did not diminish the ability of the sunglasses to shield wearers from harmful UV rays.

However, the researchers did discover that not all of the glasses protect wearers to begin with: one less expensive pair let through more than the minimum allowable amount of UVB, the most harmful form of ultraviolet light.

The limits of UV absorption are set by the American National Standards Institute, a nonprofit organization that coordinates a system of voluntary standards in the US.

While these results suggest that UV protection can last through cleaning, consumers should still be careful to buy sunglasses that start out with enough UV protection, study author Researchers based at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, found that subjecting six pairs of non-prescription sunglasses to nine months of cleaning--either using soap and face tissues or a lens cleaner and soft cloths--did not diminish the ability of the sunglasses to shield wearers from harmful UV rays.

However, the researchers did discover that not all of the glasses protect wearers to begin with: one less expensive pair let through more than the minimum allowable amount of UVB, the most harmful form of ultraviolet light.

The limits of UV absorption are set by the American National Standards Institute, a nonprofit organization that coordinates a system of voluntary standards in the US.

While these results suggest that UV protection can last through cleaning, consumers should still be careful to buy sunglasses that start out with enough UV protection.

"To ensure that non-prescription sun eyewear has adequate UV protection, we recommend that consumers purchase recognizable brand name eyewear from reputable stores and optical shops, and not from roadside stands," Citek said.

UV rays have been shown to cause eye diseases such as cataracts, a gradual clouding of the lens of the eye, and have been implicated in the development of age-related eye damage known as macular degeneration.