sunglasses for sensitive eyes. For people with sensitive eyes, wearing dark sunglasses indoors might reduce discomfort in the short-term, but make no mistake: any temporary reprieve comes with a massive drawback: the risk of dark-adapting your eyes, making you even more sensitive to light over time.
Dark adaptation means your retinas become so used to dim conditions that when you inevitably venture into normal light, it's super uncomfortable. The last time you went to a matinee, do you remember how it felt walking out of the dark theater into the sun? Ouch!
A similar phenomenon takes place when you wear sunglasses indoors. This applies whether they’re your average pair of sunglasses or the darkest lenses for sensitive eyes you can find. A 2015 study published in the Elsevier Survey of Ophthalmology concluded that, “the use of sunglasses indoors must be strongly discouraged. By wearing dark sunglasses indoors, patients are dark-adapting their retinas and aggravating their sensitivity to light.”
A better solution to light sensitivity would be to wear light sensitivity glasses instead of sunglasses indoors.
When you’re looking for sunglasses, your sensitive eyes might benefit from very dark lenses. It makes logical sense that blocking as much light as possible would help you feel better, but don’t simply look for the darkest lenses you can find.
Let’s explore the different types of lenses and what they are good (or not good) for. Essentially, in the United States, lenses fall into 5 categories of darkness. Specific industry standards for sunglasses are discussed here, but here are the basics.
Lens Category 0
This category has little to no tint and is usually used for prescription glasses, not sunglasses.
Lens Category 1
Lenses in Category 1 have more obvious tinting, but don’t offer enough protection from bright light. They offer only mild relief.
Lens Category 2
In Category 2, you have lenses that are about halfway between a very dark spectacle lens and a light sunglass lens. Less than half of the sunlight will be absorbed through the lens. These may offer average people enough protection for overcast to moderate days without super bright sunlight.
Lens Category 3
If you want darker lenses,
For most outdoor activities these sunglasses would be a good choice, as they block a substantial amount of light. However, be aware that they may be too dark for everyday use, particularly in a bright environment. Therefore, their suitability depends on the frequency and intensity of outdoor light exposure.
