Experts issue warning over wearing fake designer sunglasses

As people tighten their spending in response to the cost-of-living crisis, experts are warning people to be extra careful when looking to snap up a bargain pair of trendy shades as they could lead to more problems than they’d think (permanent damage the eyes).

Almost two in five have bought sunglasses after seeing an advert on social media promoting cheap designer sunglasses. And it’s no wonder, as half of the respondents said they place style over safety and wouldn’t buy a pair of sunglasses unless they looked good on them.

When it comes to shopping around for sunglasses, over half say they prioritise a low price, a third said fashion is important and only half(52%) said the UV protection they offer is most important.

However, as a quarter say they buy their shades from an online retailer and a fifth say they’d pick them up from a beach seller, The College of Optometrists is concerned that many could be putting themselves at risk of serious UV damage to their eyes, by buying fake designer sunglasses that don’t provide essential UV protection..

Aston spoke to Daniel Hardiman-McCartney MBE, clincal advisor at the College of Optometrists.

Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash