Choosing The Right Sunglasses with Your West Des Moines Optometrist

Choosing the right sunglasses requires more than finding a frame that fits your face and looks good. The lenses used for the glasses, and any upgrades you add, are also critical components. Sunglasses, after all, are supposed to protect your eyes from bright light and UV exposure – they are more than simple fashion accessories.

Why You Need to Protect Your Eyes from UV Light

UV light has been implicated to cause many eye problems. Some of the eye diseases associated with UV light include cataracts, macular degeneration, and eyelid cancer. Photokeratitis, otherwise known as an eye sunburn, is another painful eye condition caused by natural and artificial light sources.

Why Protect Your Eyes from Visible Light

High levels of visible light can cause eye pain and headaches. It can also make it hard to see. While clear glasses can be enhanced with clear anti-UV coatings, only sunglasses will turn down the brightness of visible light.

Enhancing the Lenses of Your Sunglasses

Prescription Lenses

If you need vision correction, it makes sense to add prescription lenses to your sunglasses as well as your regular ones. It's easy to get shades with prescriptions if you buy them from your optometrist in West Des Moines.

Anti-Scratch Coating

Many people use their sunglasses in ways that expose them to a higher risk of being scratched. The glasses may be left in the car most of the time, frequently switched for clear ones, dropped on the beach, and more. If you often find that your sunglasses are getting scratched up from things like this, try anti-scratch coating.

Transitions Lenses

If you're sick of having to switch between your tinted glasses and your clear ones, these lenses are the ones for you. They respond to the presence of UV light by darkening into sunglasses, and when you go back inside (or into a car), they turn clear again.

Learn More About Eye Protection at Lock Family Eye Care

To enjoy the convenience of getting your sunglasses from the same place you get your eyewear prescription, stop by our optical shop here at Lock Family Eye Care in West Des Moines. You'll love our selection of frames and the quality you can only get from custom-made lenses.