CENTRAL VILLAGE - You & Eye

As Pacific Northwest residents make their way to the pool, river or lake this summer, the team at You & Eye wants to make sure they have proper eyewear to protect their eyes from harmful UV rays.

You & Eye optometrist Nicole Pearce spoke about the sunglasses offered at the eye clinic and optical boutique located in the West Linn Central Village and which ones work best for activities on the water, where sunlight reflection can be a problem.

“If you’re in water or on the mountain skiing or on the road (when it’s wet) it reflects the light even more so, so it definitely feels worse,” Pearce said.

While bright sunlight and reflection can be uncomfortable and cause headaches or difficulty seeing, they can also lead to more serious problems.

Pearce cautioned that sun and UV exposure can lead to cataracts, or cloudiness in the eyes, at an earlier age. Skin around the eyes and eyelids is also susceptible to skin cancer, she said.

When picking a pair of sunglasses for a summer on the water, Pearce said making sure they have polarized lenses is important. Polarized lenses, rather than regular tinted lenses, help cut reflection and glare. Mirrored lenses cut glare even more, she added.

Most polarized lenses come in brown or gray. Which color people choose is up to them and what they’re most comfortable with. Pearce noted gray provides a more natural look while brown adds warmer tones.

Pearce also indicated some sunglasses, including several Maui Jim pairs at You & Eye, include “squinting” technology. With darker tinting around the top and bottom of the lenses, Pearce described how the glasses “squint for you.”

“There’s really a lot that goes into a good pair of glasses,” she added.

When in and around the water, Pearce said it’s also important that glasses fit well so they don’t fall off.

She pointed to several pairs of Maui Jim sunglasses that have rubber grips for the bridge of the nose and a wrapped frame so they fit the head better. Pearce said most athletic-style glasses offer a good fit and are less likely to fall off even in a pool. However, in water with more movement like a river, she recommended making sure the glasses are on a Croakie, or a lanyard, in case they fall off.

Pearce said some Croakies, which are widely available to buy online, come with devices that float so your glasses won’t sink in the water.

You & Eye also sells kids glasses by Babiators, which offers a warranty in case they are broken or lost.

You & Eye sells sunglasses off the shelf but can add prescriptions for patients that need it. The clinic’s expert staff can always help with questions about glasses to suit your needs.