Sunglasses are designed to protect your eyes from the sun. However, not all sunglasses are equipped with ultraviolet protection, which is extremely important. How can you tell if your sunglasses offer UV protection?
Using an ultraviolet light flashlight is the most effective way to test if your sunglasses are equipped with UV protection. Place a money bill underneath the sunglass lenses, then shine the light beam on the lens. If the security features light up, your sunglasses are UV protected.
Learn more about how you can test for UV protection on your sunglasses with the guide below.
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How To Test Sunglasses for UV Protection at Home
Not all sunglasses offer protection from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. The only way you can test for UV protection at home is with the use of an ultraviolet light flashlight.
What You’ll Need:
A UV light flashlight and a money bill are used together for this test. The bill should be $5 and up because since 2004, these bills have embedded a thread vertically in its design which is only detectable when ultraviolet light shines on it. These security features are used in cash to help identify real from fake money.
Below are recommendations for a UV flashlight from Amazon (note: we earn a small commission if you decide to buy it, which will go to maintaining this site):
- UV light flashlight for detecting UV protection – or lack thereof, on sunglasses
Process:
Be sure that the lights are off in the room when this process is being performed, for better accuracy.
- Place the bill flat down on a table.
- Hold the sunglass lenses as you shine the flashlight beam through the lens.
- If the security features in the bill become visible with the UV light, then the sunglasses offer UV protection. If you can only see the light glow and no security features, then the sunglasses have low or no UV protection.
Conclusion
Wearing sunglasses with UV protection is the best way to protect your eyes from damage caused by the sun’s rays. With this technique, you can now check for yourself at home if the sunglasses you own offer any protection.