Solar radiation is formed by visible and invisible light waves. Measured in nanometers (nm), it has three wavelengths that reach and affect your eyes. Visible Light, Ultraviolet Radiation and Infrared Radiation. The shorter the wavelengths, the more damaging to your eyes.

Visible Light (380 - 760nm): Visible light is that portion of the light spectrum that the eye perceives as color. In this spectrum, protective eyewear deals with glare or the brightness of the sun. Excessive amounts of visible light are irritating to unprotected eyes and can reduce your visual perception by as much as 50%. It can also hinder your eye’s ability to adjust to darkness (night blindness) and cause difficulty in depth perception. The unprotected eye strains to focus (squint), which can cause wrinkles and chromatic aberration. Athletic Optics offers a variety of lens colors to enhance your vision in various lighting conditions. Blue Light (380 - 480nm): Closest to the high energy, UV portion of the visible light spectrum, it focuses in front of the retina rather than on it, which blurs vision, reduces contrast and hinders depth perception.

Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation: There are three bands of ultraviolet light: UVA (320 - 380nm) rays are at the low end of the visible light spectrum. These rays, which cause sun tanning and wrinkles, pass through the outer structure of the eye and are absorbed by your eye’s lens. The resulting damage heals slowly, it at all. About one percent of UVA rays penetrate the retina, which cannot repair itself. Extended exposure to UVA rays can lead to the formation of cataracts. UVB (290 - 320nm) These are the sun's "tanning rays" made up of higher energy radiation that is therefore more damaging to your eyes. This band of radiation causes cancer and burning of the eye and has been linked to damage of the lens inside the eye. UVC (200-290nm) is below the visible spectrum and is effectively absorbed by the ozone layer.

Protection from harmful UV radiation is becoming more and more important as the earth’s ozone layer continues to be depleted. Contrary to what you might think, clouds do not block out all UV rays. Though thick, heavy clouds absorb most UV radiation, UV will pass through thin clouds, even when the sun’s rays don’t feel hot. And watch out for haze – it doesn’t block UV radiation at all. You get higher exposure to UV radiation on snow, sand, water, or concrete, since these surfaces reflect the sun’s rays. You’ll also get higher UV radiation levels at higher altitudes and at areas closer to the equator. To make matters worse, the damaging effects of long-term UV radiation exposure are cumulative with the consequences not immediately apparent. So beware: excessive exposure to UV radiation today can cause eye problems tomorrow. Therefore, a good pair of sunglasses is essential for enjoying the sun. The filtering qualities of the lenses must be considered so that you have the correct type of lens for your intended use. There is no point in buying lenses designed for high altitude if you use them for everyday urban life. All eyewear from Athletic Optics is available with 100% UV protection.

Infrared (IR) Radiation (760 - 3000nm): Infrared Rays are radiant energy, or heat waves, not considered harmful under normal conditions. These heat rays cannot be seen but can be felt. If you are exposed to intense sunlight for a lengthy period of time (a day at the beach, for example) without infrared protection, you may experience a burning or stinging sensation in your eyes and a sense of fatigue. Infrared rays can be especially discomforting if you wear contact lenses. If your sunglasses fail to stop infrared light, it can be absorbed by your contacts, causing them to “warm up”.