The other main use of sunglasses is for protection against ultra-violet rays, which come in two types – UV-A radiation and UV-B radiation. Both of these can cause massive damage to the internal workings of your eyes, and you need to have at least 99%, but preferably 100% protection against UV rays. Don’t accept the word of the manufacturer either. A sticker from them saying that the sunglasses offer 100% UV protection is not enough. What you want and need is for there to be a USA, British or European standards kite mark on the paperwork for the glasses to prove that they meet the right standards.

Some useful tips for looking after your sunglasses are firstly to wear your sunglasses on a chain or a cord around your neck, which avoids carelessly leaving them behind. This is very useful also when you spend a lot of time in and out of the sun, like delivery drivers do, and so have to be constantly taking your sunglasses on and off. When you remove them from your face, do it carefully with two hands to stop the frame being curved and bent. Don’t put them on the top of your head as that can stretch the frame. Finally, leaving them on your car’s dashboard could “melt” the sunglasses.

When you are not wearing your sunglasses, put them in a case so that they avoid being scratched and are less likely to accidentally break, say from someone sitting on them. Don’t put them in your pocket or purse with keys or a comb as they could easily be scratched. Should leave them outside your case, put them on folded temples with an upward-facing frame.

Keep your sunglasses clean and free from lint using a soft cloth. Use a lens cleaner to get rid of smudges.

If you are a shop and you are thinking about selling sunglasses then visit our wholesale sunglasses page.