Mount Pleasant Magazine July/August 2018

42 www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com | www.BestOfMP.com feature upon your gender identification, isn’t the only or even the best reason to slip on some tinted peepers. They’re actually important for the health of your eyes. According to the Mayo Clinic, eye protection matters a lot: “UV (ultraviolet) radiation from the sun can damage not only the skin of your eyelids but also the cornea, lens and other parts of the eye.” Some of the sun’s effects on the eyes include cataracts, macular degeneration and astigmatism. Dr. Bodkin agreed. “Sunglasses are very important to us. They are the first line of defense against UV rays,” he explained. Which lenses are the best? According to Dr. Bodkin: “The darker the better from a visual standpoint – especially on a bright, sunny day. But they don’t always have to be super-dark to block out the UV.” “It’s important to look at the sticker on the glasses you’re considering buying to make sure they block out 100 percent of those UV rays,” he added. “Expensive and designer sunglasses are almost always automatically 100-percent blockers. Low-end products – cheap sunglasses – usually are not.” And if you pick up a pair of inexpensive sunglasses that don’t have complete UV protection, you can actually do more harm to your eyes than good. “If you put dark lenses in front of your eyes, your pupils will get larger because there will be less light getting through to them, and that increases the amount of UV light hitting the back of the eye,” Dr. Bodkin said. While The Vision Center at Seaside Farms carries a wide selection of high-end sunglasses, such as Maui Jim, Costa Del Mar and Oakley, Dr. Bodkin has plenty of recent experience with low-end shades – the really, really dark, really good kind. The experts say that for everyday wear, buyers should consider a few other factors in addition to UV protection and lens darkness. Color is a factor, with gray lenses being best for seeing true colors. Wraparound lenses, or very large lenses, cut glare, help protect peripheral vision and provide better all-around vision. Polarized lenses fill a niche in blocking reflected light, which can be especially important in areas such as the Lowcountry that are surrounded by so much water. Fishermen love them because polarized lenses allow them to see through the water’s surface to where the fish are. One drawback: computer monitors and other LED and LCD screens such as some that may be on your car’s instrument panel also are polarized. That combination blocks out so much light that whatever is on the screen simply disappears. Tip: Turn one or the other 90 degrees, and you’ll be able to see things again right away. Just don’t try it while you’re driving! If you’ve ever been pulled over by the highway patrol – or watched the vintage TV show CHiPs – you may have admired those mirrored sunglasses the stalwart lawmen wore. They dropped out of fashion for a long while, but Dr. Bodkin assured, “Mirrored lenses are making a comeback. They reflect light so there is less light reaching your eyes. On a really bright, sunny day, they do help. But Whether a romantic escape, or a fishing or watersports adventure, Freedom Boat Club takes you there! Call for a VIP tour of the fleet and facilities. Discover Boating Freedom! 843-870-7887 • FreedomBoatClub. com Mt. Pleasant, Seabrook Island, Pawley’s Island, N. Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, SC. Southport, NC.