Australians not sunglass savvy

November 11, 2010

A new survey reveals that many sun-loving Australians aren't taking measures to protect their eyes from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

According to The Herald Sun, a national poll commissioned by the Optometrists Association of Australia (OAA) found two out of three people were unsure whether sunglasses provide 100 percent UV blockage.

Many were also unaware of specific eye health hazards associated with improper eye glasses, such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

The online survey of 1,000 respondents revealed only half always wore their shades on sunny days and 7 percent never wore protective lenses.

"Australia's high levels of UV can cause long-term and permanent harm to the health of your eyes. Because damage is cumulative, the choices you make now will affect you in the future," OAA's Shirley Loh told the news provider.

The country has strict laws regarding how sunglasses are labelled, based on their level of protection from the sun.

According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), there are currently no federal sunglass requirements regarding UV protection, light transmission levels or lens quality. In addition, price cannot be used to gauge the protection sunglasses offer.

Experts recommend individuals purchase sunglasses that block at least 99 percent of UV radiation.

Types of sunglass lenses recommended by the AOA include polarized sunglasses and photochromatic sunglasses.