Are Fuse Lenses UV protected?Updated a year ago
Yes! All Fuse Lenses are 100% UV protected!
All of our lenses block 100% of UVA & UVB rays, even our clear replacement lenses come standard with this. Our lenses also block UV rays up to 400nm. UV400 is the standard line of protection, if you would like to know more about UV protection, just keep reading.
What are Ultraviolet (UV) Rays?
Visible light occupies only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. (Are you getting flashbacks of ROY-G-BIV?) There are other waves, of various wavelengths, that we cannot see with the naked eye. Some of these waves include x-rays, radio waves, and, of course, UV rays. The wavelength of UV rays is shorter than the violet end of the visible spectrum but longer than the X-ray.
There are three different types of UV rays: UVA, UVB, and UVC. We will not be talking about UVC rays because it does not reach the earth’s surface since it is absorbed by the atmosphere.
- UVA: 95 percent of the UV radiation that reaches the earth’s surface is UVA rays.
- UVB: This type of UV radiation is more intense than UVA rays. The good thing is that the majority of UVB rays are filtered out by the ozone layer.
UVA Rays
The shorter the wavelength, the more harmful the UV radiation. Thankfully, UVA has the longest wavelength of the three. It does, however, account for 95 percent of the UV radiation that reaches earth. It can penetrate into deeper layers of the skin and eye, compared to UVB. UVA can pass through the cornea and reach the lens and retina inside the eye. UVA rays are linked to long-term damage, especially to skin aging and wrinkling. In the eye, it has been known to cause certain types of cataracts and also plays a role in the development of macular degeneration.
UVB Rays
UVB is of medium wavelength compared to that of UVA and UVC. It only penetrates the superficial layers of the skin and eye, but it is more harmful than UVA rays. UVB is the wavelength that we’re all the most familiar with. This is because it causes more immediate effects -- sunburns. UVB is linked to the reddening and burning of the skin and even of the eyes (photokeratitis). It can also cause pingueculae and pterygia.
The Effects of UV Rays
Damage from UV rays is cumulative over a person’s lifetime. Unfortunately, we have yet to find a way to regenerate health in the eyes like the health regeneration option in video games. It is especially important to wear sunglasses with UV protection if you live in a place that is sunny year-round. However, UV rays can still penetrate clouds on an overcast day and reflect off of snow during winter months. This is why eye protection should be constant and start from an early age. Children are especially vulnerable to this since they are still growing and developing. A child with sunglasses is not only adorable, but it is also very beneficial for their eye health.
Some of the damages caused by extended UV exposure are as follows.
- Certain types of cataracts – a clouding of the lens that leads to a decrease in vision
- Pingueculae – yellow bumps on the white part of the eyes
- Macular degeneration – damage to the retina that causes loss of central vision
- Photokeratitis – sunburns on your eyes
- Pterygia – A growth on the clear tissue of the eye, also known as an eye web
Protection From UV Rays
It is important to check that the sunglasses you buy offer 99 or 100 percent protection from UVA and UVB rays. It is recommended to buy lenses that have a rating of UV400 or greater. This is our standard line of protection. What this means is that the lenses will block UV waves shorter than or equal to 400 nanometers (nm). The various ranges of UV rays are shown below.
UVA: 320-400 (nm)
UVB: 290-320 (nm)
UVC: 200-290 (nm)
If it is more comfortable vision that you are craving, we recommend you check out our polarized lenses! In addition to darkening your view and protecting your eyes and skin from the harmful effects of UV rays, polarized lenses also reduce glare and make your viewing experience more comfortable.