We are often told not to talk on the cell phone while driving and even not to smoke, not to touch the GPS or the CD player, but rarely, if ever, are we recommended that when we go out on the road, especially in summer, we should always wear sunglasses suitable for driving.

According to a recent study, almost half of the drivers admit that they do not use them regularly in the car, but a large majority say they have had problems at some time for not doing so, such as glare when exiting a tunnel.

The consequences of not wearing sunglasses can be serious, such as collisions, rear-end collisions, driving off the road and many others, not to mention the risk of suffering eye injuries if exposure is prolonged.

Sunscreens are classified with an index from 1 to 5, with filter 1 being the lightest and 5 the darkest. Filter 3 is recommended for driving. Darker filters are reserved for outdoor sports and in particular for snow sports.

If at the time of purchase in our sunglasses store, you have any questions about the level of the filters of any model, please contact us and we will assist you without any commitment.

Campaign against sunglasses counterfeiting

The sector of sunglasses sales is one of the most punished by counterfeiting and peddling as it is a small product, cheap in origin (counterfeit glasses do not comply with any type of regulation, as explained below) and easy to hide and transport.

With the arrival of summer, the sale of sunglasses skyrockets and this attracts peddlers, who move to the coastal areas to do business.

Fortunately the police have begun to have some sensitivity to the issue, and we have already heard several news about operations to dismantle networks of counterfeiting and sale of sunglasses.

This type of street selling seriously harms legally constituted and legalized opticians (like ours), who must meet a series of requirements to be able to sell the product properly.

In addition, many users are not aware of the dangers of wearing fake sunglasses.

Sun filters in sunglasses

While all original sunglasses are required to have 100% UV filtered lenses (they eliminate 100% of UV radiation), very often these sunglasses do not have these filters and are limited to dark lenses, which is much more dangerous than not wearing sunglasses at all.

Dangers of fake sunglasses

This is because with a dark lens the pupil dilates, allowing more radiation to pass through than if you do not wear glasses.

So, we repeat our usual recommendation: always make sure you buy original sunglasses.

What is the reason is important to use sunglasses while driving ?

Coming back to sunglasses for driving, drivers are indeed one of the groups most exposed to solar radiation, with effects on both their visual health and road safety.

The doctors offer recommendations and the conclusions of the report Visual protection in driving are as follows:

• Six out of ten drivers are unaware of the effects of solar radiation on their visual health.
• 33% of drivers do not usually protect themselves with sunglasses while driving, and 12% never do so.
• 25% of drivers say they have suffered a risky situation due to glare.
• Driving with the sun shining in front of them, together with driving in fog, is the situation which most visual fatigue for drivers.

Tips for a correct visual protection of the driver:

• For driving protect yourself with sunglasses with sun filter lower than category 4.
• Polarized glasses avoid the most annoying reflections of the sun and prevent eye fatigue.
• Do not wear sunglasses at night, with the exception of specialized glasses for night driving.
• If you use contact lenses, although they exist with sun filter, it is advisable to use sunglasses in addition.
• If you wear prescription glasses, it is also necessary to wear prescription sunglasses, adapted to the needs of each individual.

When riding motorcycles and motor-bikes, drivers should wear sunglasses that are sufficiently enveloping to prevent dust particles or other foreign bodies from entering the eyes.

If, despite wearing sunglasses, you experience glare while driving, do not respond by braking sharply. Slow down gradually until you adjust your speed to the visibility conditions.

Do not wait for your driving license to be renewed, have it checked once a year.