Here’s the type of eye exam for prescription sunglasses
Prescription sunglasses may protect the eyes and vision at the same time — plus, they’re stylish. See what kind of eye exam may determine the right pair to get.
Having a pair of sunglasses may help keep a person’s eyes safe from dangerous ultraviolet (UV) rays. Those are the harmful sun rays that damage delicate eye tissue and raise the risk of cataracts and other eye issues.1
It’s true that buying prescription sunglasses may be costlier than a pair from the drugstore or mall. But there are many benefits of getting sunglasses that may correct a person’s vision and protect the eyes at the same time.
Before getting a pair of prescription sunglasses, there are some things to consider. These range from the type of lenses to how often someone may be outdoors.
While most people pay close attention to how the sunglasses look, what’s most important may be getting an eye care provider’s input. The first step might be to make an appointment with an eye care provider.
Find out the benefits of prescription sunglasses, what type of exam to get, what to consider, and how to get the right pair.
UnitedHealthcare Vision offers a huge selection of designer sunglasses — and vision insurance can help pay for them.
The benefits of getting prescription sunglasses
There may be some real perks to going the prescription route for sunglasses. These could include:
1. Prescription sunglasses may not distort vision.
Many people opt to put regular sunglasses over their eyeglasses when they’re driving or in the bright sun. But it may be better for a person’s vision to look through 1 pair of lenses rather than 2, notes Chris Sunkin, O.D. He’s an optometrist and founder of Independent Optical in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.
“You may have some small levels of distortion that you won’t have in 1 pair of prescription sunglasses,” he adds. This may be true for clip-on sunglasses too.
2. They may be more convenient.
For people who wear progressive or bifocal lenses, prescription sunglasses may free them from constantly switching to their regular eyeglasses while out in the sun. For instance, if progressive-lens wearers are at the pool or the beach, a pair of prescription sunglasses lets them read or look at their phone more easily, says Dr. Sunkin.
3. They may help contact lens wearers avoid dry eye or infections.
Wearing contact lenses while driving for a long time may irritate the eyes or lead to dry eye. This may be especially true for older adults. “Contacts are difficult for people over 60 because of dry eye. Our meibomian glands — the oil-releasing glands in the eyelids — are secreting less lubrication,” says Dr. Sunkin.
Wearing contact lenses while in the water may increase the risk of getting an eye infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.2 Again, prescription sunglasses may make more sense if people may be going to swim outdoors, whether it be in a pool, lake or the ocean.
What type of eye exam might people need for prescription sunglasses?
During a comprehensive eye exam, an eye care provider may check how clearly a patient sees and look for any eye conditions. The eye care provider may dilate the pupils (temporarily make them bigger), for instance, to check inside the eye and look for signs of glaucoma or age-related macular degeneration.3, 4
“Dilation is done to examine the health of the retina, but a prescription for sunglasses is going to be decided through the visual acuity part of the exam,” says Dr. Sunkin. (Visual acuity measures the eyes’ ability to distinguish shapes and the details of objects at a distance.)
The visual part of the eye exam may involve reading an eye chart from a distance of 20 feet. That will tell an eye care provider how sharp a person’s eyesight may be. If someone doesn’t wear glasses or contact lenses, this test shows whether they need corrective lenses. For people who already wear one or the other, the visual acuity test may show whether they need to change their prescription.5
After the exam, the eye care provider may ask about lifestyle factors. For instance, they may want to know how often the person intends to use their sunglasses. They may also want to know what types of activities the person does outside. That may help an eye care provider prescribe the right pair.
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How prescription sunglasses may protect the eyes
Even though most prescription eyeglass lenses come with built-in protection from UV rays, it may not be enough to defend the eyes from the sun’s extreme brilliance that causes squinting and discomfort, explains Dr. Sunkin.
When it comes to prescription sunglasses, there are 2 main types of tinted lenses — photochromic and polarized.
1. Photochromic lenses are also known as transition lenses. They’re activated by UV rays, and may automatically darken in bright light, like the outdoors. Once a person goes back indoors, these lenses may become clear again. “These lenses have that built-in element that causes a tint. While it’s convenient that it’s always there, standard photochromic could only have 70% to 80% of a tint,” Dr. Sunkin says.
One major drawback to photochromatic lenses is that they eventually wear out, says Dr. Sunkin. “After a couple of years, photochromatic lenses will become less and less tinted,” he explains.
2. Polarized lenses are also known as anti-glare lenses and have a special chemical coating.6 They may protect the eyes from glare and the strain associated with the sun’s rays, but they don’t change tint, says Dr. Sunkin.
“Polarization is a tool and will cut down on the glare. So, it’s easier to view things even in bright conditions and at ground reflections where light is below the center of vision,” says Dr. Sunkin. For instance, for people who are out on boats, the light coming up or down from the water may be blocked.
These types of lenses may be better for people who spend a lot of time doing activities out in the sun or in the snow. These could include:6
- Boating
- Fishing
- Golfing
- Skiing or snowboarding
What to know about the cost of prescription sunglasses
A pair of prescription sunglasses may be more expensive than a pair of regular glasses. “Besides the cost of the frame and lenses, you’re also buying other attributes such as a dedicated tint,” says Dr. Sunkin.
People may also want to include other elements that may make the glasses last a long time, he adds. That might include durable frames, a lens coating or a scratch warranty, he explains. A vision plan may bring the cost of prescription sunglasses down. UnitedHealthcare Vision plan members may want to check their prescription eyeglasses benefits.
Before buying a pair, a person may also ask their eye care provider if it’s all right to try out various prescription sunglasses outside to see which one may work best, Dr. Sunkin advises. This may help determine the right tint and type of frame.
Don’t forget about the frames. They’re important too, because oversized or wraparound sunglasses may help limit the UV rays from entering the sides of the glasses. That may be a key factor for people with eye conditions such as glaucoma.
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Sources:
- Protecting your eyes from the sun’s UV light National Eye Institute, July 2022.
- Water and contact lenses don’t mix Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last reviewed November 2022.
- Glaucoma Cleveland Clinic, last reviewed November 2022.
- What is macular degeneration? American Academy of Ophthalmology, November 2023.
- All about the eye chart American Academy of Ophthalmology, last reviewed February 2024.
- What are polarized lenses for? American Academy of Ophthalmology, June 2022.
