Sunglasses: Protect your eyes, pocketbook

Never mind the price tag on a pair of designer sunglasses. There's a good chance expensive eyewear will do nothing more to protect your eyes than a cheap pair from the drugstore.

"We've picked up some of the $3 frames that you can buy at most street corners, at least in New York, and a lot of them have good UV protection," said Dr. Marc Werner, an ophthalmologist with offices in Manhattan, Hauppauge and Garden City.

But there's a catch. "The bad news is that you can't trust the label," Werner said. "Some of them say that they're protective but offer no protection."

So how can you make sure you're not in the dark about the value of your shades? Eye experts offer suggestions on how to protect your eyes -- and your wallet -- as summer approaches:

1. Don't trust, but do verify. When you buy a pair of sunglasses, look for a label that says it offers UV protection. Those saying "UV 400" or "100-percent UV" provide the most. Then, the next time you visit an eye doctor or optician, take your shades along for testing on a photometer, a device that measures whether they provide proper UV protection. "Anyone who sells eyeglasses should have it," Werner said.

2. Always wear sunglasses when in the sun. Exposure to ultraviolet light boosts the risk for early cataracts, skin cancers around the eyelid and macular degeneration. Kids should begin wearing sunglasses early, even when they're very young.

3. Study up on alternative lenses. Photochromatic lenses, which turn dark when you go outside, are triggered by ultraviolet light. That means they may not fully darken inside a car, said Huntington ophthalmologist Dr. Richard G. Davis.

"The problem is that your car has UV filters built into the windows," he said. "That's why you don't get sunburned inside of your car." That means that the lenses don't realize they're in the sun. One possible solution: Consider buying clip-on shades to wear on top of the lenses when you're driving.

4. Consider where you'll wear sunglasses. Polarized lenses cut down on glare and can be good for driving and boating, but Davis said he doesn't recommend them for golfers because they smooth out contours. "When you're putting, it's harder to read the green," he said.

He doesn't advise that skiers use polarized lenses, either, also because of the contour issue. And he says that pilots should avoid them, too, because they make it difficult to read instruments without turning your head.