Concept
UV protection in sunglasses
Lenses that block ultraviolet light, which is a different property from darkness, colour, polarization or price.
According to American Academy of Ophthalmology
- not the same as Polarized lenses
- not the same as Price of sunglasses
According to National Eye Institute
- not the same as Price of sunglasses
According to Giannos and others (2019): UV and violet-light filtering of eyewear
- not the same as Price of sunglasses
According to Serizawa and Heacock (2014): UV transmittance of sunglasses in Vancouver
- not the same as Price of sunglasses
Connections 9
adopted by
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American Academy of Ophthalmology
Scholarship & press
1
Recommends it.
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U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Primary record
2
The 1998 guidance names no required UV level: ANSI and ISO standards are voluntary. A false UV claim makes the device adulterated.
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National Eye Institute
Primary record
3
Recommends it.
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World Health Organization
Primary record
4
Recommends protective eyewear.
not the same as
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Polarized lenses
According to American Academy of Ophthalmology
Scholarship & press
1
Polarization cuts glare. Some polarized lenses also have a UV-blocking finish; the label says.
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Price of sunglasses
According to National Eye Institute
Primary record
3
Advice, not a test result.
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Price of sunglasses
According to American Academy of Ophthalmology
Scholarship & press
1
Advice: the label with a UV claim matters, not the price.
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Price of sunglasses
According to Giannos and others (2019): UV and violet-light filtering of eyewear
Scholarship & press
5
A lab test of 28 sunglasses and lens blanks in six groups, with a focus on violet light; the authors report some designer pairs did not filter as promoted. One lab, not a market survey.
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Price of sunglasses
According to Serizawa and Heacock (2014): UV transmittance of sunglasses in Vancouver
Scholarship & press
6
35 unused pairs in Metro Vancouver: 11% failed the 4% transmittance limit, with no statistically significant link to price or to UV claims. A small student study.
Proof 6 sources
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How to Choose the Best Sunglasses to Avoid Sun Damage, American Academy of Ophthalmology, 20 Jul 2026.
Scholarship & press
Only sunglasses with 100% UV protection provide the safety you need.
Polarization itself does not provide UV protection.
Polarized lenses reduce the glare bouncing off reflective surfaces such as water or roads.
Drugstore sunglasses labeled as 100% UV-blocking are a better choice than designer sunglasses with no protection.
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Guidance Document for Nonprescription Sunglasses, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 9 Oct 1998.
Primary record
claims made by the manufacturer in the labeling for their sunglasses that claim they are constructed of lenses that block 100% UVA, UVB & UVC if such statements are untrue with respect to the sunglasses in question
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Protecting your eyes from the sun’s UV light, National Eye Institute, 5 Jul 2022.
Primary record
Only buy sunglasses that are clearly marked as providing 99 to 100 percent protection from UVA and UVB or marked as having a UV400 rating.
Don't assume that expensive, designer sunglasses provide better UV protection than sunglasses available from grocery stores or discount vendors.
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Ultraviolet radiation (fact sheet), World Health Organization, 21 Jun 2022.
Primary record
These effects are reversible, easily prevented by protective eyewear and are not usually associated with any long-term damage but are painful and might require therapeutic intervention.
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Spectral Evaluation of Eyeglass Blocking Efficiency of Ultraviolet/High-energy Visible Blue Light for Ocular Protection, Optometry and Vision Science (American Academy of Optometry), 2019.
Scholarship & press
The ultraviolet and high-energy violet (400 to 450 nm) light–filtering efficiency varied between sunglasses and clear lenses and did not correlate with price or advertised claims.
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UV transmittance in market place sunglasses and their adherence to established standards, Environmental Health Review (British Columbia Institute of Technology), 2014.
Scholarship & press
Statistically significant associations, using Chi-squared analysis, could not be found between transmittance test results and price category, UV protection claims, or the type of UV protection claim
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