Ultraviolet rays can do plenty of damage to our skin. Most people who head out on a bright and sunny day know this and will take the necessary protection, such as wearing a sun hat and applying sunscreen. However, many people simply do not realise that their eyes are at risk from ultraviolet rays as well. High quality sunglasses ought to be an essential item to have on your person when out and about on a summers day, just like sunscreen. Indeed, in high summer you should consider having a pair on you - even on a day that looks overcast.

When selecting eyewear, you should always ensure that any sunglasses you purchase are able to provide offer 100 per cent UV protection. Not all do, so you should always read the label before handing over any cash. Of course, that is all well and good if you dont usually wear glasses and can simply pop a pair of sunglasses on. What about if you are one of the millions of people in the UK who already wear a pair of prescription glasses which correct any faults you have with your vision?

Prescription sunglasses are the perfect thing for people who already wear corrective glasses. Although clip on shades and wrap-around solutions are available, they are simply not as convenient as switching your normal glasses for a pair of sunglasses. Prescription sunglasses should offer you the same corrective properties that you are used to - and use your usual prescription whilst protecting your eyes. If you are a regular driver, then switching to a pair of prescription sunglasses when you get behind the wheel saves a good deal of time and means that you can hit the road with confidence in your ability to see clearly in excessive light conditions.

Contact lens wearers can often tempted to forgo prescription sunglasses in favour of non-prescription ones because the vision correction is already taking place. However, if you wear contact lenses during the day, you should remember that contacts are not always appropriate for every type of situation. For example, should you head anywhere that is sandy or windy, like the beach, then contact lenses can suffer. Airborne particles are sometimes liable to become trapped between the lenss surface and the eye of the wearer which in turn causes irritation and might even scratch the cornea. Corneal abrasion is unpleasant and can be avoided by simply switching to prescription sunglasses. Equally, places where water will get in your eyes can cause damage. Unwanted organisms in open water can attach to contact lenses - which is one of the regular causes of eye infections that healthcare professionals see. If you want to avoid glare from water, prescription sunglasses are the best option.

These days, prescription sunglasses are available in a huge range of styles and you can even find them to match your normal glasses, if you wish. Lenses for prescription sunglasses are manufactured in a great choice of materials and tints, too. It is worth noting that the tint colour and darkness of the glasses lenses are unrelated to the level of UV protection they offer. Therefore, even very lightly tinted prescription sunglasses can provide all of the protection from harmful UV light that you might need.