Why Athletes Need Sports Sunglasses: Benefits, Eye Health and Gear Guide

You head out for a morning run in your everyday sunglasses. By the 5km mark they are sliding down your nose, you are pushing them up every few hundred metres, and the low sun is sneaking in round the sides anyway.

Everyday sunglasses are made to look good at brunch, not to sit still through a tempo run in 30-degree humidity. Here is what sports sunglasses actually do for you, and what to look for when you buy a pair.

Photo: SportPlus.sg / Isis Ang

Everyday vs Sports Sunglasses at a Glance

1. Protection from UV

A 2014 review in Clinical Ophthalmology lists the eye conditions with a certain link to UV: photokeratitis of the cornea, pterygium of the conjunctiva, some cataracts and solar retinopathy. It adds that chronic UV effects on the cornea and lens are cumulative, so protection should be used systematically. For an athlete outdoors for hours every week, that adds up quickly.

2. Coverage from the Sides

Light does not only come from straight ahead. The same review says more than half of the UV reaching your eyes on an average day is scattered and reflected light, and that light from the side is focused onto the inner corner of the eye, where UV is on average 22 times stronger. A sports frame that wraps around your face covers more of those angles than a flat fashion frame.

3. Less Glare on the Road

Roads reflect a lot of horizontally polarised light. In a 2023 study of sports sunglasses, polarised lenses blocked much of that glare, made the road look darker and made other objects easier to pick out, and the athletes surveyed preferred them. Our guide to polarised vs non-polarised lenses goes into the detail.

Everyday sunglasses are made for brunch, not for a tempo run in 30-degree humidity.

4. A Fit That Stays Put

A frame that slips is one you keep touching, and one you eventually take off. Sports frames are designed to stay put:

• Light Frames: Aura's Red Hot Chilli Shaders, Too Cool to Chase and Queen of Hearts weigh 22g, and several X models list 24g.
• Adjustable Nose Pads: Red Hot Chilli Shaders and Too Cool to Chase have adjustable nose pads to fine-tune the fit.
• Flexible Frame Material: Most Aura frames are EMS TR90, and some add carbon fibre temple legs.

Our guide to choosing running sunglasses that won't slip covers fit in more detail.

5. The Right Darkness for Your Light

Sunglasses are graded in categories 0 to 4 by how much light they let through. Category 3 suits strong daylight, while Category 4 is for extreme brightness and is not suitable for driving. Our lens tint guide explains how to choose.

Upgrade Your Eyewear with Aura Shades on ATHLO+

The Aura Shades collection lists the lens category, UV400 protection and frame material for every model. Start with the 22g Too Cool to Chase or Red Hot Chilli Shaders if weight and fit are your priority.

Ready to protect your eyes properly? Read Protecting Your Eyes Outdoors next.