How to Choose the Best Sunglasses for UV Eye Protection

Miss Shakti Thakur
May 12
5 min read

Sunglasses on a sunny beach towel with a UV index overlay

It’s officially summer! With the longer days comes the welcome increase in sunlight—but also the need to protect your eyes from UV exposure, usually with sunglasses. But choosing the right sunglasses involves far more than just picking a pair off the shelf.

After visiting multiple opticians and doing my own research, I found that information was often inconsistent or minimal—unless you first committed to a prescription check. So, I’ve compiled a clear, practical summary for you. It took effort to piece together, but I found the journey enlightening. I hope it helps you too.

Understanding UV Risk to Eye Health

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, especially UVA and UVB, can cause real damage to the eye’s surface (cornea), lens, and—over prolonged exposure—even the retina.

how UV penetrates the eye with and without protection.

Important reminders:

A brimmed, dark-coloured hat adds additional protection by absorbing reflected UV rays.
Many prescription glasses now come with a transparent UV film.
UV exposure is possible even on overcast days—so eye protection should still be used.

When Is UV Light Most Dangerous?

UV levels are especially high:

Around midday
In areas near reflective surfaces like snow, water, sand, or wet roads
At higher altitudes or wide-open areas
When taking certain medications that increase UV sensitivity (e.g. sulpha drugs, diuretics, contraceptive pills, tetracyclines, tranquilisers)

This isn’t an exhaustive list, so always consult your doctor or pharmacist for specifics.

How Sunglasses Are Graded (UK Categories 1–4)

UV protection is categorized by filter strength:

Category 1: Light tint, cosmetic only
Category 2: Mild tint, useful indoors or under mild sunlight (often orange, rose, red, or blue lenses)
Category 3: Standard for bright sunlight and everyday outdoor use (grey, green, brown tints)
Category 4: Extremely dark; for skiing or sailing—not safe for driving

Choosing Lens Colours: What Do They Actually Do?

Each colour offers unique benefits:

Grey: Preserves true colour. Excellent glare reduction and suitable for driving.
Brown/Amber: Enhances contrast and depth. Great in bright light or open spaces, but not ideal in low-light or cloudy weather. Enhances depth especially against green grass or blue sky and are often used by sports people or for driving.
Green: Provides good colour accuracy and contrast. Versatile for both bright and dim conditions. Green is colour enhancing, preserving colour accuracy, better colour accuracy than brown. It provides more contrast than grey and less glare. It also works well in bright or low light, indoors or outdoors, even in fog. Very versatile.
Yellow/Orange/Gold: Improves visibility in low light or fog. Alters colour perception but helps with depth perception. Yellow/ orange/ gold lenses help increase the visibility of objects in moderate or low light, or fog and therefore serve well both indoors and out. Also give excellent depth perception. Colours are altered.
Red/Rose: Blocks blue light. Enhances contrast and detail in bright light. Useful for sports—not suitable for driving (can distort traffic light colours). A red/ rose tint blocks blue light, improving driving visibility, enhancing detail, contrast and depth of field. Particularly good in extremely bright conditions. Cyclists, snow/ water sports enthusiasts often use them. Also, it can help with glare from computers. Distort colours on traffic lights hence not for driving.
Blue/Purple: Used in fog or high-reflective environments like snow or water. Enhances contrast but not recommended for driving. Blue/ purple are less common, can enhance colour, depth and contrast, reduce glare and work well even in foggy conditions, low light, or where there is a lot of reflected light. Used by water sports enthusiasts and in snow or mist. Distort colours on traffic lights hence not for driving.

Gradient, Fit, and Shape: It’s More Than Just the Lens

Gradient lenses are darker at the top (for overhead sunlight) and clearer at the bottom—ideal for driving or reading.
Fit matters: Oversized lenses give more coverage, but side exposure is still a risk. Wraparound styles protect from all angles.
Don’t forget your hat—a broad, dark brim adds extra shielding from overhead UV.

What Are Sunglasses Made Of?

Most are now plastic or polycarbonate, which naturally blocks UV and is lightweight. Look for scratch-resistant coatings to prolong their life.

Features That Improve Protection and Comfort

Mirrored Coating: Reflects sunlight, reducing glare in extreme brightness (e.g., snow, water).
Anti-Reflective Layer: Reduces light bouncing from your face back into your eyes via the inside of the lens.
Polarised Lenses: Cut out horizontal glare—great near water or glass surfaces. However, they may interfere with LCD screens and smart devices. This is different to UV protection. It prevents stray horizontal light from light reflective surfaces from entering the eye and reduces glare. It may give a more comfortable experience and enhance contrast. Also, it allows a better view below water such as looking into a lake. It may not suitable for driving as LCD displays cannot be seen and may not suit some smart phone surfaces. A UV protective layer needs to be added. Useful in high glare environments such as snow, water activities, glass.
Photochromic Lenses: Automatically darken in bright light, useful when moving between environments. Less effective in cars or during cold temperatures. . And darken too much when driving, making the rear windscreen more difficult to view.
Blue-Light Filtering: May help protect the retina. Evidence is evolving.

What About Sunglasses for Night Driving?

Tinted lenses aren’t recommended. However, yellow lenses with anti-reflective coating can help reduce glare from oncoming headlights or screens.