Sunglasses are an essential fashion item that just happen to be essential for eye health as well. Sarah Harvey looks at the benefits from both sides.
The fashion benefits
If you look back several centuries you will see that the judges of the Chinese courts were the height of fashion.
The Chinese judges were some of the first to wear dark glasses - even if back then they provided no protection against the sun and were not even worn outside.
The judges wore smoke-coloured quartz lenses to conceal their eye expressions as they interrogated witnesses in court.
It was not until 1929 that Sam Foster, the founder of the Foster Grant company, sold the first pair of mass-produced commercial glasses, on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City.
By 1930, sunglasses were all the rage, especially with military and air force personnel who used them to shield their eyes from glare, particularly at high altitude.
Strange to think an item which at first served such a meaningful purpose is now a blatant fashion piece.
American Vogue editor Anna Wintour is rarely seen without a large pair of frames covering her small face and young ravers the world over can be seen wearing sunglasses at all times of the day - and night.
In New Zealand we are spoilt for choice when it comes to sunglasses to suit our faces and our tastes.
The easiest way to choose a pair of sunglasses that suit you is to first figure out what shape face you have, be it oval, round, square, or heart-shaped.
Those with an oval face will have the most choice when it comes to choosing sunglasses as you have a balanced face.
If you have a smaller face or uneven features it is best to go with a smaller style as large wrap-around styles will swamp your features.
As for style, this season it is all about looking back.
Ray-Bans, at Sunglass Hut, are shamelessly reintroducing all their classic styles: the Aviator, Wayfarer and Clubmaster, but in bold new colours.
There are even Ray-Bans for the younger members of the family - Ray-Ban Junior - in colours such as sherbet, bubble gum, fairy floss and cherries.
Aviators are still, and probably always will be, a good style to choose.
Their shape means they fit many face shapes and are comfortable to wear.
The Karen Walker Eyewear collection this season shifts its focus from oversized plastics to smaller, more intricate metal silhouettes.
The round "Duper Strength" ($349) and "Helter Skelter" ($315) designs could fit easily into a vintage store, apart from the fact they are made with new technology and the highest quality materials.
For cheaper styles you cannot go past Le Specs.
The brand was at the height of its powers in the mid-'80s before falling off the radar.
But in 2006 the company underwent a complete overhaul and is now one of the most fashion-forward brands, and one of the most affordable.
The health benefits
The Cancer Society tells us our eyes and the sensitive skin around them can be damaged if exposed to too much sunlight.
"While cancer of the eye is rare, basal cell carcinoma of the surrounding skin is relatively common," its website says.
UV radiation from the Sun is associated with cataracts and pterygium, which can cause short-term "snow blindness".
Sunglasses can reduce the amount of UV radiation that reaches the eyes by up to 98%.
Both the shape and lens' quality is important when choosing sunglasses.
Sunglasses which wrap around provide much better protection than smaller "John Lennon" type glasses, because they allow less sunlight to reach the eye.
It is recommended, for glasses to have any effect, that the lenses meet the Australia/New Zealand standard.
The label will say whether or not they comply.
The Cancer Society says UV radiation is at its peak between October and March, especially between 11am and 4pm, and the use of sunglasses is encouraged during this time.
