Ssunglasses are more than just a fashion statement. Dr. Fuerst was able to share a few key points with us when looking for golf shades that help maintain eye health.

Price Point: Buying a cheap pair of sunglasses for golf can greatly affect what Dr. Fuerst points out as optical clarity on the course. "Many inexpensive sunglasses have distorted lenses, but even a slight visual distortion in the lens can change the visual appearance of the ball and may cause unnecessary swing modification," says Dr. Fuerst. To combat buying a pair of golf sunglasses with bad optical clarity, Dr. Fuerst suggests shopping from your eye doctor or a reputable online glasses store.

Need for Prescription: Even if you have a weak prescription, it's worth adding prescription lenses to your golf sunglasses. "As we age, we can develop a minor distance prescription, so don’t be afraid to get a prescription in your sunglasses as needed—I frequently have patients who golf that complain of losing the ball on drives," says Dr. Fuerst. "They insist they only need glasses for reading or working on a computer, but they are actually experiencing a 15-20% drop in visual clarity, contrast sensitivity, and depth perception that commonly comes with aging." The good news is most quality golf sunglasses are available for prescription, Dr. Fuerst recommends

UVA and UVB Protection: Just like buying any pair of sunglasses, make sure your frames offer sun protection. Dr. Fuertes maintains that your golf sunglasses should offer 100% protection form UVA and UVB rays. "Sun damage to the eyes can begin in as little as 15 minutes, and the damage is cumulative and can build over time leading to a variety of eye-related health conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma and even eyelid cancer," says Dr. Fuertes. This is all to say, make sure you're buying your sunglasses from reputable stores.