Sailing and Sunglasses

Extended exposure to sunrays can have harmful effects on your skin, and increase hazards on the water. Not only are you likely to be out in the sun for a long time, but the glare off the water, not to mention the deck, sails and other vessels, makes your exposure much more intense, just as it is for skiing, for example.

Taking off your shades, or leaving them at home, is like heading out on the water without sunscreen. A multitude of eye conditions have been associated with prolonged exposure to sunlight, UV rays and intense glare. This includes cataracts, macular degeneration, keratitis (snow blindness) and pterygium, as well as damage to sensitive skin around the eyes.

Below is a basic list of things you should look for when considering sunglasses for sailing or maritime activity.

• Look for large oversized sunglasses with wrap around lenses. This will give you excellent protection from all angles. One of the main areas we get glare is from the backside of the lens. If we reduce the distance between the frame and the face, the less area there is for light to penetrate there.
• Make sure that, while wrap-around in shape, that no light can get through any gaps. The frame needs to sit flush with your face.
• Wear a cap as well as the sunglasses if you are not 100% able to get the fit just right.
• Consider impact resistant polycarbonate lenses if you're not so quick on your feet from that swinging sail.
• Need a prescription? I can put prescription lenses into the majority of well-made sunglasses out there. My specialist labs will be sure to make the lenses as thin as possible.
• If the glasses don't float it is worth investing in an adjustable floating safety strap. While I don't sell them here they are available on Amazon.
• Choose polarized lenses! Colored lenses alone are not enough protection for marine conditions. As light rays bounce from the surface, the reflected rays are focused in one plan and are said to be polarized. Polarization will get rid of all of that nasty horizontal glare from the waves and ripples in the water. You can read a little more on this below.
• Look for sunglasses that advertise blocking 100% of UVA and UVB rays. All sunglasses I sell here fall into this category.
• Come on in and try them on. It's so hard to buy a pair online and meet all the above criteria. I'll help fit them to your face.
• Make sure the lenses are hydrophobic, which will help reduce the ocean spray on the lens, reduce salt damage, and make them much easier to clean.

So a pair of marine sunglasses is a valuable asset to a voyage. Of course, most non-specialist High Street pairs will filter the worst of UV rays, but great sailing sunglasses are much more advanced than you might assume. Here are a few more pointers to help steer you in the right direction.

Lens material:

Acrylic lenses are the cheapest, but they also have the most distortion and least longevity. Glass lenses are extremely scratch-resistant and have excellent optics, but they are also relatively heavy, and dangerous for boating. Between these two, lenses are available in a variety of patented materials, the best of which are polycarbonate and trivex. Polycarbonates are lightweight, inexpensive and durable; and trivex adds clarity and even more increased durability to those assets at additional cost.

Polarization:

The sharper contrast and dramatic reduction of glare provided by a polarized lens will help you pick up the details in the water (like concealed buoys, wind changes and orcas (!)) as well as reduce the reflected light from the water surface or fiberglass dash. These will also provide much greater clarity as refracted light is absorbed by wind-whipped dust, falling rain, airborne spray, or fog. Polarization will even allow you to see below the surface of the water, which can aid in looking out for weeds and shallows.

Lens color:

While green lenses, which provide the least amount of color distortion are still common, gray lenses have become popular with boaters because they are useful in a wider range of conditions. In particular, the lighter tint allows better performance in overcast conditions and prevents any loss of color when clouds are chasing sunlight across the bay. The colors may not be perfect, but the brown lenses allow you to spot variations in the water that you would miss with green or gray lenses. This added clarity might be helpful to you.

Whichever you choose, I have a nice selection of Maui Jim, Revo, and other wrap around styles which you're sure to fall in love with.

Author

David Greening, ABOC, BS(HONS) Ophth. Dispensing David is a licensed optician, and has been in optics since 2002. He attained his Bachelor of Science degree in Ophthalmic Dispensing in Kent, England (2014). He has extensive experience, having managed his own practice for many years prior to arriving at Astorino & Associates Eye Center. He is a licensed American optician (ABOC) and is well-recognized for his quality of service, attention to detail, and patient care. He left our practice January 2024.