1. MYTH: A Sunglass is Sunglass is a Sunglass.

REALITY: Just as we wear different types of clothing for different weather conditions, there are a wide range of different types of Sunglasses and Protective Lenses available for varying applications and Sun conditions: brightness, heat and glare. Different lens tints and coatings affect Sunlight differently.

2. MYTH: A Darker Sunglass Lens Provides better Eye Protection.

REALITY: Without protective Ultra Violet (UV) coatings, or lens materials with inherent UV blocking properties, a dark lens can fool the eye into believing it is being protected. With non-UV lenses that simply reduce the brightness of the Sun, the pupil will dilate, actually allowing more of the Sun’s harmful rays to enter the eye. Thus, darker lenses, without UV protection, cause more harm, not less, to the eyes. UV Rays are invisible, but harmful to the “Naked” Eye! And… on hazy days, the damage from UV can be even more severe. Doctors recommend that everyone wear some Sunscreen protection on their skin everyday but have yet to fully address Eye protection.

3. MYTH: UV Protection Alone is Enough To protect the Eye From the Sun’s Damaging Rays.

REALITY: UV protection to prevent Cataracts is the major concern of eye specialists today. However, brightness, glare, reflection, heat and scratched lenses make vision uncomfortable and can be substantially reduced or eliminated by functional Eyewear and proper care and cleaning of your Sunglasses. Mirror or Multi-Coated lenses help reflect away additional brightness by bouncing it away from the Eye. Polarized lenses act as miniature Venetian Blinds, tuned to block (attenuate) the glare reflected from surfaces such as Water, Pavement and Car windows. Polycarbonate lenses inherently block the heat of the Sun, which is the major cause of dryness and scratchiness in the eyes, a condition effecting 20 million people in the US alone. This heat arrives in the form of another invisible enemy to our eyes: Infrared Radiation… the Heat rays of the Sun, which are at the opposite side of the light spectrum from Ultra Violet light.

4. MYTH: Sunglasses must be expensive in order to provide superior Sun protection.

REALITY: While the adage, “You get what you pay for,” is usually true, it is possible to attain high levels of protection at affordable prices. Much of the cost in high priced Sunglasses comes from expensive advertising campaigns. A “name brand” Sunglass may or may not have the same level of protection as a less expensive “non-designer” Sunglass.

Most people are afraid of getting big eye bags since these can make a person look tired and awful. But cosmetic problems are not the only reason to shun baggy eyes. Doctors say they can cause a host of vision problems as well.

Indeed, eye bags not only affect your appearance; they can also interfere with your vision at the same time. This was revealed by eye experts who said baggy eyes can trouble you in more ways than one.

Eye bags have many causes. Morning puffiness is usually caused by fluid retention which normally occurs when one sleeps. Allergies likewise lead to water collecting under the eyes. Expect baggy eyes too if you cry a lot since the salt in tears irritates the skin. If you are dehydrated or drunk, it will definitely show in your eyes. These two conditions can worsen your eye bags.

Fortunately, the above problems are short-lived and temporary. The eye bags almost everyone hates are caused by the aging process. If you spend too much time in the sun, your skin becomes thinner, loses its elasticity, and eye bags form.

“Over the years, too, the cushion of fat tucked cozily under each eye, called the orbital fat pad, protrudes as the muscle that holds it in place weakens. And the cheeks lose collagen, a protein that makes skin firm, so that a trough appears under the bags, accentuating their pouchiness,” according to an article in The New York Times.

Eye bags that occur in the upper eyelid and appear as overhanging skin are worse than those that form under the eyes. Upper eyelid puffiness or sagging eyelids can cause vision problems or even total vision loss, according to Dr. John Ramocki of the Kresge Eye Institute at the Detroit Medical Center. This condition is known as ptosis and usually affects adults between the ages of 45 and 50.

“The droop of the eyebrows and eyelids results in the build up of fat and extra tissue around the eyes. This extra tissue makes the eyes look smaller, sunken in, and gives a person’s face an overall tired, wrinkled appearance. Saggy eyelids can affect more than just your appearance; they can also affect your vision. Ptosis can result in an obstruction of your vision and you may not even realize it,” said the specialists at eyecarebasic.

One of the most famous victims of saggy and baggy eyelids was the English businessman and billionaire Sir Alan Michael Sugar who stars in the BBC TV series “The Apprentice” which is based on the American TV show of the same name. Sugar, whose net worth is estimated at about $1.7 billion, reportedly spent over $11,000 in cosmetic surgery to get rid of bags under his eyes and lift his eyelids.

“The 59-year-old electronics tycoon had the operation because of ‘vision problems’. A qualified pilot, he explained that droopy skin overhanging his eyelids was threatening to block his sight and stop him pursuing his hobby of flying Learjets,” said London’s “Daily Mail.”

Hollywood is the home of many glamorous movie stars whom we often remember for their good looks and unique features. But as far as I know, none has been immortalized for eye bags except Peter Lorre.

Today’s generation of moviegoers may no longer remember Lorre but the Hungarian actor and director portrayed many memorable characters at the height of his career. Aside from being cast as a sinister and wicked person in Hollywood crime films and mysteries, the late great actor is also fondly remembered as the Japanese detective Mr. Moto and the first James Bond villain in the first Bond movie Casino Royale.

What set Lorre apart from other actors were his unforgettable voice, look, and mannerisms. One of his striking features were his eye bags that became his “signature” mark when animators later emulated and did impressions of Lorre in various cartoons like Ren and Stimpy, Secret Squirrel, Stingray, and Digimon. It was a classic case of art imitating life as the characters in those short films had big eyes and equally big eye bags – much like Lorre’s!

Unfortunately, not everyone with eye bags ends up as a famous or celebrated actor like Lorre. For most people, eye bags, puffy eyes, and dark circles under the eyes are bothersome cosmetic problems that look terrible and make you look older than you really are. These problems are often associated with allergies, aging, fluid retention, too much salt or alcohol, excessive crying, smoking, pregnancy, menstruation, and lack of sleep.

“There isn’t room for fatty layers around the eye sockets because this would get in the way of our ability to move our eyes and see. So skin around the eyes is thin and gets thinner with age - allowing the blood vessels and darker shadows of bone to show through,” according to Dr. Trisha Macnair of BBC Health.

“The most common cause of those dark bluish circles under the eyes is congestion around the nose. You see the veins around the underside of the eyes drain into the veins of the nose. When your nose becomes congested or is blocked up, those veins become restricted and the flow of blood is reduced. This causes the flow of blood under the eyes to slow. The veins under the eyes become engorged causing them to swell larger and appear darker,” added the AskDocWeb.

While they aren’t serious medical problems and often clear up on their own even without any treatment, eye bags, puffy eyes, and dark circles can be embarrassing and annoying. Besides, who wants to wait until forever for them to disappear completely when you’re attending that big party with all your friends tomorrow?

To look good, get enough rest, drink enough water, stop smoking, and avoid allergens that trigger nasal congestion like pet dander, pollen, house dust, and certain foods like milk and chocolate. Use an extra pillow or two to elevate your head while sleeping to prevent fluid build up. Reduce your salt intake and be wary of food and drinks that contain too much salt.

Cool cucumber or potato slices placed over closed eyes for a few minutes can also help. If you’d rather eat the cucumber or potato, another alternative is cotton balls dunked in cold milk. After squeezing the milk from the balls, let them rest on your closed swollen eyes for a few minutes. A cold compress will also do the same.

One popular product that can revitalize your eyes is Eyevive. When used as directed, Eyevive moisturizes, strengthens, and thickens the skin around the eyes to help reverse the signs of aging that can lead to eye bags, dark circles, swollen eyes, fines lines and wrinkles. Put back the sparkle in your eyes with Eyevive.