Best Sunglasses for Sensitive Eyes

Are you looking forward to summer and that trip to the beach but dread what it’ll do to your sensitive eyes? 

While millions of people in the US and across the world are sensitive to light like the sun’s rays and glare, some sunglasses can offer relief. Light sensitivity or photophobia can make something as trivial as a walk around the block unpleasant and painful. It can even trigger migraines for people who have this condition.

Unfortunately, most sunglass brands have overlooked and neglected those with light sensitivity. This has made it challenging for people with sensitive eyes to find sunglasses with lenses that are dark enough or work well enough to protect their eyes and offer visual relief when out and about. 

However, this doesn’t mean that sunglasses for light-sensitive eyes don’t exist. In this article, we share four of the best sunglasses for sensitive eyes. Before all else, let’s first delve into the symptoms of light sensitivity and the types of sunglasses that are best for this condition so you can make the right choice. Let’s dive in.

Symptoms of Sensitive Eyes

Symptoms of sensitive eyes include the following:

• Sensitivity and aversion to light, including fluorescent light and sunlight
• Pain or discomfort when looking at indoor or outdoor light
• A sense that standard lighting appears too bright
• Squinting
• Eyestrain
• Eye pain or discomfort
• Inability to fully open the eyes 
• A feeling of wanting to close the eyes
• Seeing brightly colored spots, even with the eyes closed or in the dark
• Blurred vision 
• Tears from the eyes
• A sense that eyes are excessively dry
• Headache 
• Fatigue
• Dizziness 
• Nausea
• Inflammation
• Burning
• Involuntary and/or excessive blinking
• Migraine with aura (characterized by blind spots, flashes of light, other changes in vision, tingling in the hands or face)
• Seizures
• Allodynia and other bodily pain

What Type of Sunglasses Is Best for Sensitive Eyes?

The type of sunglasses you choose makes all the difference when it comes to protecting sensitive eyes. In this section, we tell you about the different types of sunglasses that you should look for if you suffer from light sensitivity:

#1. Polarized Sunglasses

As the name suggests, polarized sunglasses have polarized lenses. These lenses filter out unwanted horizontal and vertical light waves and allow light to move in only one direction. This helps prevent glare completely, making this style of eyewear great for those with light sensitivity.

Here are some of the other benefits that polarized shades offer:

• Their superior perception of contrasts makes it easier to distinguish between different shapes and colors. 
• They eliminate glare and eyestrain.
• They block excessive UV light. 

Polarized lenses can also have scratch-resistant and anti-reflective coatings, helping improve your eyewear. Before choosing from the different available coatings, factor in your lifestyle and then decide which coating is best for you.

#2. Tinted Sunglasses

If your eyes are sensitive to light, choosing a darker lens color will help you on a bright, sunny day. Sunglasses with dark tints are one of the best types of sunglasses you can get for sensitive eyes. They deter excess light from entering the lens and offer a good amount of eye protection.

You can also choose from different colors depending on your style preferences and lifestyle requirements.

Tinted sunglasses provide the following benefits: 

• These sunglasses prevent glare.
• They improve color perception, making them suitable for long-distance drivers and athletes.
• They offer more comfort to the eyes than other types of sunglasses, making them fantastic for sensitive eyes. 

The darker the lens tint, the higher the protection from visible light. Note that protection from visible light is not the same as protection from UV rays. For effective sun protection for your eyes, you must choose UV-blocking shades only.

#3. Super Dark UV-Blocking Sunglasses

There’s nothing like getting out of the house and soaking up the sunshine. However, you also need to safeguard your eyes from UV light to keep them healthy and avoid light sensitivity. Too much exposure to the sun can have negative effects on your eyes due to the amount of UV light present.

UV-blocking sunglasses can help you reduce the impact of UV light.

Here are some of their benefits:

• These sunglasses help reduce eye damage brought on by UV rays.
• They block the UV light that passes through the eyes. 
• They offer an extra level of sun protection compared to regular sunglasses.

#4. Polarized Wraparound Sport Sunglasses

Unlike other sunglasses, wraparound shades protect even your peripheral vision. These polarized sport sunglasses hug the contours of the face and prevent sunlight from creeping in around the edges. 

Here are some of the key benefits that this eyewear style offers:

• They cut down on the glare and bright spots that harm your sensitive eyes and obscure your vision when you’re outdoors.  
• They help your vision stay sharp even amid excessively bright light.

#5. Cat Eye Sunglasses

If wraparound sunglasses aren’t available to you (or they’re just not your style), the next best option would be to buy a pair of sunnies with larger frames. Because of their wide angle edges, cat eye sunglasses make a great oversized option to protect your eyes from the harsh sun. 

Here are some benefits to picking up a pair of oversized cat eye sunglasses:

• They provide coverage that you can’t get with other shaped sunglasses.
• They help reduce UV rays inflicting on the outer-corners of your eyes. 

Do Polarized Glasses Help With Light Sensitivity?

Polarized sunglasses reduce glare while boosting color and contrast. This makes it easier for those with light sensitivity to see things around them more clearly. 

If you have sensitive eyes, polarization is a useful feature that you need in your eyewear. 

Best Sunglasses for Men With Sensitive Eyes

Here are our top two frames for men with sensitive eyes:

1. Harvey Sunglasses

Harvey is a stylish modern pair of sunglasses with a retro twist on the classic aviator style. Its square black lenses and the double bridge will make you look more sophisticated and dapper. 

Designed for men, it has polarized lenses that help reduce unwanted glare and improve contrast. This enhances visual clarity and reduces eye strain, making this style an ideal choice for those with sensitive eyes and long-distance drivers. 

These polarized sunglasses boast 100% UVA and UVB protection (UV 400). It also has an extra-thick frame to give you greater protection from UV rays. 

Harvey lenses are made of polycarbonate, which resists breakage and makes the sunglasses more durable and long-lasting. Its frame is crafted from high-quality stainless steel and injection-molded polycarbonate so you can be sure that you’re getting a premium pair of shades for your sensitive eyes.

2. Phoenix Sunglasses

If you’re looking for shades that are more fun and bold, Phoenix might be just what you need. This aviator-style eyewear features oversized square frames with slightly rounded bottoms and a unique double bridge for a fun, modern take on a vintage favorite. 

It offers 100% UVA and UVB protection (UV 400) and its lenses are made of shatter-resistant polycarbonate. The lenses are also polarized, tinted, and have an anti-glare coating to reduce reflections. They are mirrored and offer maximum optical clarity so you can see clearly even when you’re under the sun for long hours making them the perfect product for enduring those blinding rays.

Phoenix has a polycarbonate frame with five-barrel stainless steel hinges to enhance durability. This quirky style is available in five cool classics such as black, jade black, blue, brown, and mirror pink.

Best Sunglasses for Women With Sensitive Eyes

Here are two of the best sunglasses for women with sensitive eyes:

1. Madison Sunglasses

Whether you’re going to brunch with your friends or colleagues or hitting the beach, Madison is an excellent combination of style and function. These sunnies feature oversized square frames that are narrower at the bottom with elegant metal accents. Classic and attractive, Madison complements different face shapes and is perfect for any occasion.

Madison frames come in a variety of frame styles such as tortoise, black, beige tortoise, blush pink tortoise, and sapphire tortoise. With the varieties available, you’re sure to find the best sunglasses that suit your taste and personal style.

This eyewear style is UV 400, which means that it offers 100% UVA and UVB protection. Its polycarbonate lenses are not only scratch-proof and shatter-resistant but also have an anti-glare coating that provides crystal-clear visibility. The stainless steel and polycarbonate frame enhances longevity, allowing you to invest in a pair of shades that are fashionable, extremely useful, and will last for a long time. 

2. Ramsey Sunglasses

Are offbeat styles more your speed? If that’s the case, check out the Ramsey. This pair of shades has an interesting geometric shape which puts a modern fun spin on the classic aviator style. 

Its shatter-proof polycarbonate lenses offer a high level of sun protection as they are UV 400, enabling you to protect your sensitive eyes from unwanted light and enjoy visual relief and enjoyment under the sun. Ramsey’s polarized lenses help ensure optical clarity and come in different colors that are framed by high-quality stainless steel.

• Black lenses with black or gold frames
• Mirror blue lenses with silver frames
• Mirror pink lenses with gold or silver frames
• Brown lenses with gold frames

Aside from being an ideal pair for those with light sensitivity, Ramsey is particularly flattering for those with square, round, oval, and diamond face shapes.

Conclusion 

No matter what anyone tells you, sunglasses aren’t created equal. These shades from WMP Eyewear offer a great combination of wearability, protection for sensitive eyes, durability, lens clarity, and style. 

The next time you’re confronted by an irritating glare, you won’t have to brave it alone or endure the discomfort. Just whip out your Harvey, Phoenix, Madison, or Ramsey sunglasses to get the protection you need while looking stylish at the same time.

With WMP Eyewear, you can look forward to the summer, sand, and waves without worrying about your light sensitive eyes. 

If you’re interested in learning more about protecting your eyes, check out our post on preventing eye strain!