Do your sunglasses have the right protection levels?

Sunglasses are an essential accessory for motorhome life not just for style but their practical, comfort, and eye health benefits! For National Sunglasses Day we’re exploring everything you need to know for finding the perfect pair of shades!

 

Why are sunglasses important?

Sunglasses are far more than just a stylish accessory; they protect your eyes from harmful UV rays from the sun. So, if you’re spending a lot of time in your motorhome driving or find yourself exploring the outdoors frequently, sunglasses are definitely a worthwhile purchase!

 

Eye Health

Around 40% of the population is affected by headache disorders and bright light can be a trigger for this. As well as protecting you from sun damage, sunglasses are great for preventing or giving relief to those who suffer from frequent headaches or migraines.

Protecting yourself with appropriate eye protection can also help to prevent various eye conditions that can be caused by prolonged exposure to UV rays. These conditions include cataracts, worsening eyesight, corneal sunburn, eye cancer, growths on the eye, and macular degeneration.

Did you know? If you have lighter-coloured eyes (green, hazel, or blue eyes) as your eye has less pigmentation compared to those with dark-coloured eyes, your eyes are more sensitive to light and susceptible to damage!

 

Sunglasses for driving

 

Beware of the glare

Glare is a huge danger and can cause strain on your eyes when driving, it can come directly from the sun or reflect off surfaces such as the road, water, or other vehicles. Wearing sunglasses, especially when touring and driving long distances in your campervan, makes for a safer driving experience and will significantly reduce the amount of glare you face.

Polarised lenses can be a great option for reducing glare and improving visibility in bright conditions! However, you should make sure they aren’t too dark and that you are able to see screens, displays and controls in your motorhome before driving.

 

Having the right lenses

It’s important to make sure you have the right lenses, standard fashion glasses won’t offer enough protection, but if you wear glasses too dark this can be dangerous as you won’t be able to suitably see the road. Not to mention you could be breaking the law, as UV400/Category 4 sunglasses are illegal to drive with in the UK and many other European countries. It’s also important to know that lenses with light transmission of less than 75% are unsuitable for night driving. You will likely find the perfect lenses for driving fall under category 3 lenses.

If you’re not familiar with sunglasses categories or light transmission levels, we explain this in the section below “Breaking Down UV Protection Levels.”

 

What else to consider for driving eye protection

• If you wear prescription lenses to drive discuss with your optician glasses with sun and glare protection options.
• Another great alternative when looking for prescription eyewear is glasses with photochromic lenses (also known as transition lenses). These are lenses that change based on lighting conditions.
• When purchasing look for glasses with an anti-reflection coating.
• You should also make sure you’re regularly cleaning your glasses, so the lenses don’t get smudged or dirty.
• If polarised lenses don’t work for you try graduated lenses for driving, these are lenses that are dark at the top and lighter at the bottom making it easier to see displays and screens within your vehicle!

 

Breaking Down UV Protection Levels

Are your sunglasses providing you with enough protection? On the chart below we’ve broken down the protection levels that different categories of sunglasses give you.

Darker lenses doesn’t always equal better UV protection so check the category! You should be able to find what category your glasses fall into by checking the inside of your glasses arm.

 

 

CE and UKCA marking

Make sure your sunglasses either have the CE mark or the UKCA mark on them. These markings mean that the glasses meet the European conformity standards (for CE) or UK conformity requirements (for UKCA.)

 

More benefits of sunglasses

Eye comfort

Whether you’re driving your motorhome, participating in outdoor activities, or out adventuring, if you’re spending extended amounts of time outdoors wearing sunglasses will help reduce eye strain and fatigue!

 

Better views

With eye protection, you can enjoy clearer outdoor views and scenery better without glare, squinting, or discomfort.

 

Style and fashion

Who can forget that sunglasses add a touch of style to your travel attire. Match your style and personality to your glasses and give yourself a look of timeless cool!

 

Sunglasses aren’t just for sunny weather

Most people believe that sunglasses are just for bright hot sunny weather, it’s literally in the name SUNglasses, however, this isn’t correct. Even during overcast days, the sun’s UV rays can still penetrate through the clouds making eye protection necessary.

Certain terrains (snow, ice, sand) and water can also reflect UV rays and cause damage which can lead to eye conditions like Photokeratitis (also known as snow blindness.) If you regularly participate in snow sports or water sports, it’s worth looking into UV protective goggles or suitable eyewear to keep you protected.

If you’re the active type who enjoys a lot of outdoor sports like biking or hiking, sunglasses can also be great for protecting your eyes from wind, dust and debris!

Now that you’ve protected your eyes, protect your Motorhome!

You now know everything you need to know about protecting your eyes on your motorhome travels, but don’t forget to protect your vehicle with fully comprehensive insurance cover for motorhomes and campervans!

We’ll find the best policy to suit your vehicle and make sure you’re fully covered so you can focus on the touring adventure ahead! But don’t take our word for it, check out our Trustpilot where thanks to your amazing customer reviews we’re ranked No.1 in the Motorhome Insurance Company Category!

Get a quote online or contact a member of our friendly team on 0208 984 0666.

 

Sources:

https://www.specsavers.co.uk/glasses/buyers-guide/uv-protection

https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/safety/driving-in-sunglasses

https://www.spindeleye.com/blog/2017/02/the-importance-of-sunglasses/

https://www.stevekmd.com/blog/5-eye-conditions-caused-by-sun-damage

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/winter-sun-eye-safety