introducing a simple method for screening studies of the efficiency of common sunglasses in blocking ultraviolet radiation and visible light and answering this question whether the brand and the price of sunglasses guarantees efficient protection against ultraviolet radiation.

120 pairs of common sunglasses were tested. In this simple screening study, a UV meter that is designed to measure UVA and UVB was used for intensity measurements. Considering this fact that dark sunglasses make the pupil dilate and allow more light reach the retina, when the sunglasses have poor UV protection, the eyes can be severely damaged.

Although all of the 120 sunglasses tested in this study were effective in reducing the intensity of visible light, nearly none of the sunglasses could offer efficient protection against UV radiation.

The majority of sunglasses tested in this study strongly decreased the visible light intensity but couldn’t block all UV radiation. According to the ANSI Z80.3-2001.the lens should have a UVB transmittance of no more than 1%. These findings lead us to this conclusion that these sunglasses can endanger the vision due to dilation of the pupil and overexposure of the lens to UV radiation.