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Did you know there’s an entire day dedicated to celebrating sunglasses? Yep! On June 27th, 2024, at Sunglass Fix, we’ll be celebrating National Sunglasses Day, toasting our commitment to eye protection and quality sunglass lenses.
Want to join us? Here’s everything you need to know about National Sunglasses Day and why you should be celebrating too.
Why Celebrate National Sunglasses Day?
National Sunglasses Day is more than just an excuse to sport your favorite shades (although you definitely should be!). It’s a great reminder of the importance of wearing sunglasses for UV protection, keeping your eye health in top condition and helping to prevent long-term damage.
The Sunglass Fix's mission is to provide access to high-quality, durable sunglasses lenses, and National Sunglass Day is the perfect time to reinforce exactly why we’re so deeply committed to protecting your vision.
The Importance of Wearing Sunglasses
Sunglasses play a crucial role in maintaining optimal eye health and enhancing visual comfort, which is why leaving your sunglasses at home on a sunny day could be more than just an inconvenience. So how exactly do sunglasses protect your eyes, and why should you be wearing them?
UV Protection
Most of us know that UV rays harm the skin, so we cover up with sunscreen on sunny days. But did you know that these harmful rays can also be extremely damaging to your eyes? Our eye tissue is very delicate, making it easy for UV light to penetrate and cause damage in a matter of minutes. Prolonged exposure to UV rays without suitable protection from sunglasses can lead to a range of long-term eye issues, including:
- Cataracts: Clouding of the eye's lens, leading to vision impairment which can only be treated via surgery
- Macular Degeneration: Irreversible vision loss caused by damage to the retina
- Eyelid Skin Cancer: The skin on your eyelids is the thinnest skin on your body, leaving it particularly susceptible to cancers caused by UV damage.
Wearing sunglasses is the best (and easiest!) way to protect your eyes from these conditions.
Glare Reduction
On sunny days, you may find yourself squinting and shading your eyes from the blinding glare reflecting off smooth surfaces like water and roads. This glare is not only dangerous and inconvenient, particularly when driving or playing sports, but it can also be extremely damaging and lead to photokeratitis, a painful “sunburn” of the front of the eyes that causes redness and sensitivity to light. This can further impact your vision, making outdoor activities even more difficult.
Sunglasses with polarized lenses contain a special filter that blocks horizontally polarized light, including the glare reflected off flat surfaces like water and pavements. This filter selectively blocks certain light waves, reducing glare and improving visibility, especially in bright sunlight or when surrounded by reflective surfaces, enhancing vision, comfort, and safety. Take a look at our favorite anti-glare lenses to make bright summer days more enjoyable.
Eye Comfort and Health
A final reason why you should be wearing sunglasses is that it’s simply much more comfortable! Squinting in the sunlight can lead to eye strain, fatigue, and headaches, and high-quality sunglasses are the best way to protect you against this discomfort.
A Look Back: The History of Sunglasses
Eye protection in the form of sunglasses has been around a lot longer than you probably realize.
So, when were sunglasses invented? The earliest historical records of primitive sunglasses date all the way back to ancient civilizations, where the Inuits of the Arctic region would carve narrow slits in pieces of bone or wood to reduce glare from snow and ice. Similarly, in 12th-century China, flat panes of smoky quartz were used to shield the eyes from glare. These early “sunglasses” were not yet designed for fashion, but rather for practical purposes, including hiding emotion in courtrooms.
Fast forward to the 1700s and a British optician named James Ayscough began to study the benefits of green and blue-tinted lenses for improving visual impairment. By the 1920s, sunglasses were becoming mass-produced, with polarized lenses making an appearance ten years later, and by the 1960s, sunglasses were launched into the spotlight after becoming a popular fashion accessory with Hollywood stars.
Sunglass Fix: A Journey with Sunglass Lenses
Sunglass Fix’s story began in Australia in 2006, after CEO Craig Anderson found three pairs of heavily scratched sunglasses in a drawer. Hit with the realization that finding replacement sunglass lenses is near impossible, he set out on a mission to offer high-quality replacement lenses that wearers could install themselves, not only helping people save money but also protecting the planet (one billion pairs of sunglasses are made each year, and a lot of those end up in landfill!).
Today, Sunglass Fix provides over 400,000 replacement lens models ready for immediate dispatch worldwide, making us a pioneer and global leader in the sunglass replacement lens market.
With a vast customer base spanning 161 countries, we take pride in our numerous accolades, which include prestigious honors such as the Premier's NSW Export Awards, APAC Australian Enterprise Awards, Design Week Awards, APAC Insider Awards, and Australia Customer Service Awards.
Make the Most of National Sunglasses Day
So there you have it. National Sunglasses Day is a vital reminder of just how important sunglasses are when it comes to your eye health and vision, and it’s something we should be celebrating all year round. Sunglass Fix aims to make protecting your eyes as easy and affordable as possible, which is why we offer a wide range of high-quality sunglass replacement lenses so that you don’t have to throw your old sunglasses away. We are committed to protection, style, quality, and sustainability, so if your favorite sunglasses are scratched or damaged, don't hesitate to get in touch and find your perfect replacement lenses with Sunglass Fix.
Happy National Sunglasses Day everyone!
