Creators Syndicate

FIGHT BACK!  BY DAVID HOROWITZ 

Shades of Summer 
         
        Shopping for a new pair of sunglasses for summer?  According to
leading fashion designers, the "in" thing in  shades this summer will
be large, pointy frames in loud  colors -- with studded rhinestones and
mirrored lenses.  Tortoise-shell cat's-eye frames are also making a
comeback.  But I suspect most of will choose something a bit more 
conservative. 
        You want glasses that will compliment the shape of your  face.
Small, round frames look best on people with oval or  square faces.
Larger frames help soften the appearance of a  long, narrow face or
large nose. 
        Whatever the style, it's important that the glasses fit 
properly. The top of the frames should follow the contour of  your
eyebrows, with the pupils of your eyes in the center of  the lenses.
The weight of the frames should rest on your  nose, not on your cheeks.
If the glasses slip or shift when  you smile, it's a bad fit. 
        Check the lenses for optical distortion. Sunglasses can  often
distort your vision and cause eye strain or headaches.  Hold the
glasses away from you, and look through the lens at  something in the
distance that has sharp vertical or  horizontal lines. If the lines
appear bent or wavy, pick  another pair. 
        Every pair of sunglasses should have a protective  coating
against ultraviolet light. There's been a lot in the  news lately about
how the sun's UV rays increase your risk of  skin cancer. But UV
radiation can also damage the retina of  the eye and speed the
formation of cataracts. Dark glasses  without UV coating can actually
do your eyes more harm than  good. That's because dark lenses allow the
eyes to dilate,  admitting more harmful sunlight. You want glasses that
filter  out at least 95 percent of all UV rays. Anything less, and  you
may be risking your eyesight for style. 
        Unfortunately, you can't tell if lenses are coated for  UV
protection just by looking. You have to depend on labels  added by the
manufacturer. Five years ago, the sunglasses  industry and the Food and
Drug Administration adopted a set  of standards for labeling sunglasses
for UV protection. But  these were only guidelines. The labels
themselves never  became standardized. Today, there are almost as many
labels  as styles of glasses. 
        Consumer-protection groups have called for stricter,  mandatory
labeling standards. But the FDA has not enacted any  such rule. So,
it's important for buyers to shop carefully  and make sure they are
getting complete eye protection from  both UV-A and UV-B radiation. 
        Some ophthalmologist also believe that blue light can be 
damaging to the eyes, though less so than ultraviolet. It's  easy to
tell how much blue light the glasses will block by  the color of the
lenses. Green and gray lenses are the least  capable of blocking blue
light -- yellow and amber are the  most efficient. 
        Parents should also be especially careful when it comes  to
choosing sunglasses for children. Children's dark glasses  are often
the worst in terms of UV protection, safety and  quality of
construction. Eye-care specialists say children's  sunglasses should be
of just as high a quality as an adult's.  Their young eyes need just as
much protection from the sun as  ours. 
        If you have questions or comments, please write to David 
Horowitz at 72662,1775. COPYRIGHT 1994 CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.