The eye doctor at Vitreous Retina Macula Consultants of New York, Dr. William Hogue, has a question for you: How often do you visit the dentist?

He thinks the answer is a lot more than having your eyes checked. That’s too bad, because golfers are more likely to get advanced cataracts and/or macular degeneration because they are exposed to more ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun.

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that there is no safe amount of UV radiation when it comes to getting cataracts.

“Everybody eventually develops cataracts,” says Hogue, “but you can slow the progression.”

You might find sunglasses annoying or even distorted while you play, but the pros are much greater than the cons. So, here are five things you should think about if you want to wear sunglasses on the golf course.

  1. It doesn’t matter how dark the glass is. The only thing that counts is that your shades stop all UV rays fully.
  2. Sunglasses that don’t have polarization are better. Polarization is good for spreading out light that bounces off of water, windows, and other surfaces, but it can also blur your vision and make it harder to tell how far away something is.
  3. Avoid lens colors that are green or gray. They might be good for people with weak eyes, but there isn’t enough contrast to make it easier to read green. Shades like brown and gold are what you need.
  4. Give yourself 10 seconds more if you take off your sunglasses to hit a shot. Allow some time for your eyes to get used to the light.
  5. More is better. We’re not telling you to wear sun screens, which are those wide glasses that are good for older people. You should make sure that the light in your peripheral view isn’t too bright, though.

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