Do color of lenses matter when buying sunglasses?

(New York-WABC, June 23, 2006) (WABC) -- Summer's here and that means it's time to put on the sunglasses again.

But did you know you should be considering the color of the lenses when buying sunglasses?

Seven's On Call with Dr. Jay Adlersberg.

Color of the lenses is certainly a concern as people look for sunglasses that flatter their face and their wardrobe.

If blue is your favorite, think twice. It doesn't screen out harmful rays that can lead to eye disease. Add science to shopping for shades this summer.

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Glasses are always fashion statements, especially for sunglasses.

Dr. Jay Adlersberg: "What's the most important thing about sunglasses?"

"How they look I guess ... more about how they look ... the style," one person said.

"I guess I'm vain ... I go for the style," another person said.

No one is perfect. But when you buy sunglasses, a little knowledge of light is important.

Janet Sparrow, PhD., Columbia University Medical Center: "We see sunlight as being white, but really this white light is composed of different colors like the rainbow colors."

The particular concerns are ultraviolet or UV light, which is invisible and blue light.

The most important thing about sunglasses is that they are blocking ultraviolet light, which can cause cataracts and blue light, which can affect the back of the eye and retina.

Look for labels that say your glasses that block 99 to 100 percent of UV light. That will cut down the risk for cataracts.

On blue light, we asked Dr. Sparrow, who does research on how blue light affects the retina and causes macular degeneration.

"It's the area of the retina that provides us with visual acuity. That is the type of vision we need to recognize faces, read and even play a game of cards," she said.

Her solution: Avoid blue tinted sunglasses, which let only blue light through.

Large glasses aren't only stylish, they block the most amount of light.

Dr. Sparrow adds that you don't have to pay a lot for glasses with complete protection. Often, drug store glasses are fine. But be careful with street vendors because their stuck on labels may not reflect the truth about their products.

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