“Expensive Sunglasses May Not Be Worth the Price”

Expensive Sunglasses May Not Be Worth the Price

Posted: 22 Jul 2010 09:32 PM PDT

The Wall Street Journal found that the shades you pay $200 for probably came from the same company that makes cheap ones. Luxottica, a large consumer company, manufactures the majority of sunglasses on the market and makes an estimated 60 percent gross profit.

The Journal found that expensive glasses are not necessarily better for your eyes:

" 'Three hundred dollar sunglasses don't do anything better than $100 sunglasses, except maybe look better and have a brand name associated with them' says Dr. Jay Duker, chair of ophthalmology at Tufts Medical Center.

" 'A significant chunk of what you pay for isn't the quality of the lenses, it's the brand,' adds Dr. Reza Dana, director of the cornea and refractive surgery service at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. He notes that making lenses that offer protection against harmful ultra-violet rays 'isn't very expensive technology.' And while spending more may get you better quality frames, here, too, there are laws of diminishing returns.

"For about $40, says Dr. Duker, you can get a pair that offers 100% protection against ultra-violet rays. If you spend maybe $70 you should be able to get a pair with decent quality polarizing lenses that cut out glare. Beyond that, the medical benefits tail off pretty fast."

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