Protection for your eyes

We live in a sun blessed country, but all the sunshine for which Australia is famous also has a price to pay.

According to the Australian Government Radiation Protection and Nuclear safety agency: “Long term exposure to ultraviolet radiation can also cause cataracts, a clouding in the lens of the eye which obscures vision as well as short-term eye damage such as snow-blindness if the UVR intensity is sufficiently high.”

UV light can also promote the development of cataracts, pterygium (an irritating tissue growing from the white part of the eye which may distort vision), cancer of the conjunctiva, photokeratitis (corneal sunburn), skin cancer of eyelids and around the eyes, and corneal degenerative changes

Children are particularly susceptible to UV exposure. The effects of UV radiation exposure are cumulative and can lead to eye disease later in life. Sunglasses, which meet the Australian Standard ASNZS1067:2003 and a broad-brimmed hat can reduce the amount of UV radiation that reaches the eyes by up to 98%, and should be a requirement for all Australians.

Because damage is cumulative, the choices you make now will affect you in the future.

It is the UV absorbing properties of the lenses that provides the protection and not the colour of the lenses. This means that dark sunglasses are not necessarily more effective at protecting the eyes from UV than lightly tinted sunglasses. At Personal Eyes Optometry, all our prescription sunglasses carry the maximum UV protection.

Polarized sunglasses are very popular as they reduce glare from many surfaces alleviating eye fatigue and eyestrain. Active sportspeople, those on the water or snow and even those who spend time driving also see significant benefit from these polarized lenses.

At Personal Eyes Optometry, we stock a large range of sunglasses, including some of the latest designer sunglasses from Maui Jim, Rayban and Jaguar, and we can now even fit your prescription sunglass lenses into the popular wrapped frame designs.

Depending on your prescription we can make designer prescription sunglasses look like they have no prescription at all, so you can even attend the Melbourne Cup with a fashionable pair of prescription sunglasses.
You are also able to claim against your private health insurance for prescription sunglasses, making your ocular health even more affordable.