- With Mayo Clinic emeritus ophthalmologist
Dennis Robertson, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Dennis Robertson, M.D.
Dennis Robertson, M.D.
Dennis M. Robertson was born in South St. Paul, Minn., and grew up in a musical family on the Mississippi River. He completed his undergraduate and graduate training at the University of Minnesota, where he received a B.A., B.S. and M.D.
Following an internship at San Bernardino County Hospital in California, he worked for two years on Indian reservations under the umbrella of the United States Public Health Service. He later completed a residency in ophthalmology at Mayo Clinic and pursued postgraduate fellowship training in vitreoretinal disorders at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami. He returned to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., in 1967.
His studies included a sabbatical during 1987 and 1988 at Moorfields and St. Bartholomew’s hospitals in London. His scientific interests have been chiefly in disorders of the retina and vitreous and ocular oncology. In 1999, he became the recipient of the Whitney and Betty MacMillan Professorship.
He retired from full time clinical practice in July 2004. In August 2005, he returned to work part-time at the Mayo Clinic until retiring again in December 2007.
Staying healthy (9)
- Cellphones and cancer: What's the risk?
- Triclosan: Is it safe?
- Immunization: Are you immune to a disease?
- see all in Staying healthy
Dental care (7)
- Sensitive teeth: What treatments are available?
- Electric toothbrush: Better than a manual toothbrush?
- When to brush your teeth
- see all in Dental care
Skin care (7)
- Foods for healthy skin: Top picks
- Shaving hair: Does shaved hair grow back thicker?
- Does sunscreen expire?
- see all in Skin care
Nail care (4)
- Acrylic nails: Can they harm your natural nails?
- Split fingernails: Can they be prevented?
- Nail biting: Does it cause long-term damage?
- see all in Nail care
Eye care (2)
- Eye exam: Is a laser retina scan worthwhile?
- Choosing sunglasses: Is UV protection important?
Sleep (5)
- Melatonin side effects: What are the risks?
- How many hours of sleep are enough?
- Sleep aids: Could antihistamines help me sleep?
- see all in Sleep
Mental health (2)
- Passive-aggressive behavior: What are the red flags?
- Hoarders: When does a hobby become an obsession?
Healthy at work (5)
- Shift work: Improving daytime sleep
- Night shift and cancer: Any connection?
- Leg pain after prolonged standing or sitting: A concern?
- see all in Healthy at work
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Question
Choosing sunglasses: Is UV protection important?
When you're choosing sunglasses, does UV protection matter?
Answer
from Dennis Robertson, M.D.
Yes, ultraviolet (UV) eye protection matters. UV radiation from the sun can damage not only the skin of your eyelid but also the cornea, lens and other parts of the eye. UV exposure also contributes to the development of certain types of cataracts.
When you're choosing sunglasses, look for UV-protection details on product labels. Choose sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays. Skip sunglasses that are labeled "cosmetic" and those that don't offer details on UV protection. Opt for larger lenses rather than smaller lenses — or, better yet, the wraparound variety.
Of course, UV protection isn't the only consideration when it comes to selecting sunglasses. In addition to UV protection, here's the lowdown on other options:
- Blue-blocking lenses. Blue-blocking lenses — which are generally tinted amber — can make distant objects easier to see, especially in low light. Blue-blocking plastic lenses may make it difficult to discriminate the hues in traffic lights, however, and not all blue-blocking lenses offer adequate UV protection.
- Polarized lenses. Polarized lenses reduce glare. Unless they're specifically treated with UV coating, polarized lenses don't offer UV protection.
- Photochromic lenses. Photochromic lenses reduce glare and help maintain clarity, although they may take time to adjust to different light conditions. Not all photochromic lenses offer adequate UV protection, so be sure to check the product label.
- Polycarbonate lenses. Polycarbonate lenses offer protection from impact injuries that may be sustained during physical activities. Polycarbonate lenses also adequately shield the eyes from UV radiation.
- Mirror-coated lenses. Mirror-coated lenses help block visible light, but they don't necessarily block UV radiation.
Standard prescription eyeglasses can be treated with a material that provides UV protection while retaining a clear, nontinted appearance. Some contact lenses also offer UV protection — but because contact lenses don't cover the entire eye, it's still important to wear sunglasses for UV protection when you're outdoors.
Next questionMelatonin side effects: What are the risks?
- Wang SQ, et al. Photoprotection: A review of the current and future technologies. Dermatologic Therapy. 2010;23:31.
- Tuchinda C, et al. Photoprotection by window glass, automobile glass, and sunglasses. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2006;54:845.
- Sunglasses. American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.aao.org/aaoesite/eyemd/upload/Sunglasses. Accessed Feb. 24, 2010.
- UV protection. American Optometric Association. http://www.aoa.org/uv-protection.xml. Accessed Feb. 24, 2010.
- UV protection with contact lenses. American Optometric Association. http://www.aoa.org/x12724.xml. Accessed Feb. 24, 2010.
Find Mayo Clinic on