Top Sunglasses Picks for Stylish UV Protection

As Baz Luhrmann would tell us, everybody’s free to wear sunscreen, but you know what you should also be wearing? Sunglasses. The Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA) wants to remind Canadians this summer that the eyes are at just as high a risk for sun damage and cancer as the rest of the body’s other sun-exposed areas.

“Our eyes are encompassed by some of the thinnest and most delicate skin anywhere on the body, making it easily prone to damage,” says Dr. Gordon Searles, CDA President. “I know first-hand the detrimental effects of what too much UV radiation can mean to our eyes, as I lost my left eye as a result of an invasive basal cell carcinoma a number of years ago.”

One of the most widely iconic styles of summer is a chic pair of sunglasses, but they are not all created equal. To block out all of the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays, the best sunglasses will have a “UV 400” rating or state “100% UVA/UVB protection.” This means they will provide full ocular safety against the detrimental effects of UV radiation. Good to know, but how easy is it to find said protection in a fashionable form?

I’ve sourced a few choice examples of stylish eyewear that will keep your peepers protected and looking pretty. Just flip through this slideshow to check them out…