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Whether you're a long-distance runner, mountain biker, traveling salesperson or a bird watcher, the most important reason to wear sunglasses is to protect your eyes against ultraviolet radiation.

Unfortunately, while trying to emulate movie stars and fashion models, consumers often pay top dollar for trendy sunglasses advertised with fancy slogans but offering insufficient protection.

The American Optometric Association (AOA), estimates more than $2.5 billion is spent annually nationwide to purchased approximately 275 million pairs of sunglasses.

While such companies as Bausch & Lomb, the world's largest sunglass manufacturer, Vuarnet and Oakley have well-established market niches, numerous others including Killy, Hobie, Serengeti, Gargoyles, Revo, Rudy Project, Nikon, Maui Jim and Swiss Army all tout their brands with varying marketing savvy.

But the perceived mystique, glamour and "coolness" of wearing sunglasses should never be overshadowed by the more important issue of eye protection.

"There's a lot of hype in the sunglass market," said Dr. Donald G. Pitts, a former U.S. Air Force optometrist and a professor of environmental vision and anatomy at the University of Houston College of Optometry. "The fancy words and slogans mean nothing, except the sunglasses usually cost more.''

Without such protection, exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, particularly abundant in natural sunlight reflected off snow or sand and at high altitudes, can cause keratoconjunctivitis, a temporary inflammation of the eyelid lining or the cornea. Snow skiers call the condition "snow blindness.''

More devastating, UV radiation can also permanently damage the retina, the vision mechanism inside the eye. Ultraviolet radiation is also a leading contributor to cataracts, the clouding of an eye lens that obstructs the passage of light.

"I don't think people have to be paranoid and protect their eyes indoors and every time they step out their door," said Dr. Anthony Cullen, the retired director of the school of Optometry at the University of Waterloo in Canada. "But if it's bright outside, if there's either reflected or direct sunlight, they should wear protective sunglasses. It's best to err on the side of caution."

As one of the three components of solar energy, invisible ultraviolet radiation has three levels, defined as UV-A, UV-B and UV-C. Range of ultraviolet light is determined by nanometers, the international wave-length measurement. One nanometer equals one billionth of a meter.

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