Are darker sunglasses better?

Many people equate the darkness of sunglasses with increased protection. This is however not true. The darkness level isn’t going to offer protection from harmful UV rays. This doesn’t mean that darker sunglasses aren’t good, and of course, it depends on the purpose of wearing them. 

If you’re purchasing sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays, then it’s important that you know the darkness of the lens does not indicate the level of eye protection. Even extra dark sunglasses will not protect them. However, if you’re looking for glare prevention for sensitive eyes, the perfect sunglass style, whether it's 80s sunglasses or Retro sunglasses dark lens sunglasses is your best option.

There are plenty of super dark sunglasses for sensitive eyes and dark tinted sunglasses that will prevent light from entering your eyes. 

What are the darkest sunglasses for ultimate protection for sensitive eyes? Here are the different categories:

Category 1 sunglasses 

Category 1 lenses are not really considered to be sunglasses, as they provide no real protection from the sunlight. These are generally for style and come in a variety of light-colored tints such as yellow. Category 1 sunglasses have a light transmission percentage of 44 to 80 percent.

This makes them ok in overcast conditions and low sun exposure but will provide limited sun glare reduction. 

Category 2 sunglasses

These lenses are commonly tinted with orange, rose, blue and red with a sunglasses light transmission percentage of 19 to 43 percent. This simply means that they offer you a medium level of protection when it comes to glare, and in partially sunny conditions.

Category 3 sunglasses

Category 3 sunglasses are far better at providing protection against sun glare and are ideal for most outdoor activities. These tend to be darker lenses than the previous two categories. And protect against the sun’s strong brightness. You’ll find that many sunglasses in this category are non-polarized and polarized lenses and have a sunglasses light transmission percentage of 9 to 18 percent. Typically, most lenses in this category are brown and gray lenses.

Category 4 sunglasses

Category 4 sunglasses are generally very dark gray or brown lenses that are best for intense sun conditions where there are high glare conditions. They have a light transmission percentage of 3 to 8 percent which lets very little light through. These would not be considered driving sunglasses as they alter your vision.

What happens to light when it passes through dark sunglasses?

The color of the lens affects how much visible light reaches your eye. This is known as VLT, Visible Light Transmission. Visible light also affects how well you see other colors and contrasts. This is measured by various factors including the color, thickness of your lens, and the material it is made of. All of these factors affect the amount of light that will reach your eye.

When choosing sunglasses, understanding VLT percentages, and the purpose of your sunglasses for the conditions you’ll wear them in. This allows you to choose the right darkness or correct VLT percentage for the condition. 

When it comes to dark colors such as brown, gray, or green these are ideal for everyday use and for the most part all types of outdoor activities. Darker shades cut through glare and reduce eyestrain in bright conditions. They are intended for moderate-to-bright conditions. However, brown lenses may cause minor distortion while gray and green lenses won’t. 

Do sunglasses have to be dark to block harmful rays?

It isn’t the shade or darkness of the lens that provides your eyes with protection from the harmful UV rays, nor is it the lens color that offers you any level of eye protection when it comes to ultraviolet rays; it’s all about the coating on the lenses that will protect your eyes. You can find sunglasses that have a light tint that will offer you ultimate protection from the sun rays and super dark lenses that provide no UV protection at all. This is why ensuring that any sunglasses that you purchase have a UV coating is important when it comes to protecting your eyes and preventing many harmful conditions.

If you’re like most people, we often associate the darkness of the sunglasses with equal protection. While darker sunglasses will keep more light from entering your eyes and is a great option for style, for those with super sensitive eyes it will not block UV rays. 

So, rather than searching for sunglasses with the darkest lenses, look for sunglasses that provide you with 99-100% UV protection. 

Benefits of darker sunglasses

You’ll find that there are plenty of benefits to wearing sunglasses with dark lenses. Some of these benefits include reducing eye fatigue, minimizing glare, helping with light reduction, and providing true color perception. And if you have super sensitive eyes, you’ll want to choose ultra-dark sunglasses. This will provide your sensitive eyes with the best level of protection. 

Extra dark lenses for photophobia sufferers

If you suffer from photophobia, you have a strong intolerance to light that causes intense pain. Wearing extra dark sunglasses for sensitive eyes is essential when it comes to helping with migraine, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-concussion syndrome, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, and many others. 

Exposure to any light can impact your health significantly making it important to understand the different lighting that can lead to pain. Even fluorescent lighting, LEDs, and computer and device screens can trigger or worsen photophobia. These light sources are high in blue light, and through research, it’s been proven that these cause the most pain response for people who are sensitive to light. 

This makes blocking blue light much more effective for photophobia relief than dark glasses. 

Are polarized sunglasses darker?

Not all polarized sunglasses are darker, however, there are extra dark polarized sunglasses that you can purchase. There is a common misconception about polarized sunglasses. Just because your sunglasses aren't very dark does not mean that they are not polarized. Polarized lenses come in a variety of shades such as gray, brown, green, or even other colors.

Polarized lenses simply mean that they have a special chemical applied to them that helps them to better filter light, by blocking some light from passing through the lens. 

Can you get sunglasses tinted darker?

There are plenty of options out there for adding some sunglass-grade tint to a pair of prescription eyeglasses, from clip-on shades to clear-to-dark electrochromic glasses.

Where can I buy super dark sunglasses?

If you’re searching for dark shades ShadyVEU has the perfect selection of dark black sunglasses women's and men’s styles. Choose from inexpensive round glasses for men, unisex black sunglasses, or round sunglasses for women. 

When it comes to buying sunglasses online ShadyVEU has the best selection of affordable sunglasses to choose from that will provide you with the perfect level of style and protection that you need.