5 pointers for eye health and choosing sunglasses

Nothing says "cool" like a signature pair of sunglasses, but function is just as important as style. Here are 5 pointers to help you choose the proper pair and keep your eyes safe from the sun.

• Many inexpensive sunglasses work as well (or better) than high-priced brands at protecting against ultraviolet rays.The right spectacles protect your eyes from long-term exposure to the UVA and UVB rays in sunlight, which is the solar radiation that raises the risk of cataracts and ARMD.
• When one Washington, D.C. television station had the sun protection power of various sunglasses analyzed, they found that cheap pairs were just as good at blocking UVA and UVB rays as those costing 10 times more.
• Look for a label or tag says the lenses protect against 99 percent of UVB and 95 percent of UVA rays, or ones that boast "UV absorption up to 400 nm."
• Steer clear of "blue-light blocking" lenses, which don't offer UV protection. And don't assume that polarized lenses meet the criteria unless they say they have extra UV-blocking material in or on them.

• Most contacts block less sunlight than UVB-protective sunglasses, but they do protect the sides of the eyes better than many sunglasses (except wraparound types).
• The best plan? Contacts plus shades for more complete protection.

• A wide-brimmed hat cuts eye exposure to UVB rays by a whopping 50 percent.
• In one 10-year-long study of 2,764 people, a hat plus sunglasses reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration by 50 percent.

• Japanese researchers say that the sun's low angle in the morning and late afternoon is the reason study volunteers' eyes received twice as much damaging UVB radiation at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. as they did at noon.
• Because of this, you should wear your shades for as long as the sun's out, rather than just when it's highest in the sky.

• Snow reflects 80 percent of sunlight, which is three times more than water and five times more than beach sand.
• This means that eye damage is still possible even in the winter months, so keep your shades on all year round.

Sunglasses significantly reduce the risk of cataracts and other eye damage, so be sure you wear them whenever the sun's out. Use this guide to choose the right pair and follow our other eye-safety tips to keep your peepers in perfect condition.