You can wear sunglasses with contacts, and this combination is recommended for optimal comfort and eye health. Pairing contact lenses with non-prescription sunglasses provides an extra layer of protection and visual clarity. Eye professionals frequently suggest this dual approach to ensure your eyes are shielded from environmental factors and harmful radiation.
Understanding Contact Lens UV Coverage
Many modern contact lenses include built-in UV-blocking technology, offering defense against the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. These lenses filter out both UVA and UVB rays, directly protecting the cornea and the internal structures of the eye they cover. However, even the highest-rated UV-blocking contacts are not a complete substitute for quality sunglasses.
The primary limitation of UV-blocking contact lenses is their size, as they only cover the central portion of the eye. This leaves surrounding tissues, including the eyelids and the white of the eye, exposed to UV rays. Long-term exposure can contribute to conditions like basal cell carcinoma or growths on the eye’s surface. Furthermore, some contact lenses block only up to 90% of UVA rays, while premium sunglasses block 100% of both UVA and UVB rays.
Sunglasses also provide protection against high-energy visible light, which contacts do not block. This visible electromagnetic energy can penetrate deep into the eye and has been linked to potential retinal cell damage over a lifetime of exposure. Wearing sunglasses over your contacts ensures the entire eye area receives comprehensive protection from all forms of harmful light and radiation.
Choosing Sunglasses for Comfort and Fit
Selecting the right sunglass frame design is important for comfort and maintaining contact lens health. Frames that offer greater physical coverage, such as wrap-around styles or thick side arms, are effective. These designs act as a physical barrier, significantly reducing the amount of wind, dust, and airborne debris that can reach the eyes.
Minimizing airflow across the eye surface is particularly beneficial for contact lens wearers who frequently experience dry eye discomfort. Wind and environmental factors cause tears to evaporate more quickly, leading to lens drying and irritation. Wrap-around frames help trap a small layer of moisture around the eyes, reducing tear film instability and enhancing comfort. A proper fit also prevents the sunglasses from sitting too tightly on the face, which could create pressure points that lead to eye rubbing or irritation. For those with significant dryness, specialized moisture chamber glasses with foam or silicone seals can create a more controlled environment.
Navigating Polarized and Tinted Lenses
Polarized lenses are safe to wear over contact lenses and provide superior visual comfort. These lenses contain a special filter that blocks horizontal light waves, which cause glare reflected off flat surfaces like water, snow, and pavement. By cutting this harsh glare, polarized lenses reduce eye strain, which is helpful for contact lens wearers who may already be sensitive to bright light.
A common issue with polarized sunglasses is their interaction with liquid-crystal display (LCD) screens, such as those found in smartphones or car dashboards. Because both the polarized lens and the LCD screen use polarizing filters, they can sometimes cancel each other out, making the screen appear dark or distorted. This effect is less common with newer organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens, but rotating your device 90 degrees can often restore visibility by realigning the filters.
Tinted or mirrored sunglass lenses pose no risk to your contact lenses, as they primarily reduce the overall amount of light reaching your eye for comfort. They do not interfere with the contact lens material or function. The level of tint is a personal choice, but the most important factor remains the lens’s ability to block 100% of UV radiation, regardless of how dark or reflective it appears.