Are Your Shades as Cool as You Think?

MELBOURNE, Australia--(BW HealthWire)--Jan. 28, 1999--While much of the United States shivers through a record cold and snowy winter, they're playing championship tennis under sunny summer skies in Melbourne.

In addition to seeing the first grand slam tennis tournament of the year at the 1999 Australian Open, spectators are learning a bit about the effectiveness of their sunglasses, courtesy of the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria, Australia (ACCV).

Using a special analytical instrument called the Varian Solascreen ultra violet - visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer, the ACCV is providing testing of tennis fans' sunglasses for compliance to the Australian Standard for Sunglasses and Fashion Spectacles.

Without adequate protection from sun glare, long-term eye damage can occur, leading to cataracts, and in severe cases, even blindness. The United States, England and many European countries have similar standards for sunglasses.

"In the first week of the Australian Open, we tested 525 pairs of glasses, and found that 87% fell into the 'general purpose' category, meaning they are intended to reduce sun glare in ordinary circumstances," said Craig Sinclair, ACCV SunSmart campaign manager. "In general, the majority of sunglasses tested blocked out all UVB rays, and they tended to offer slightly less protection against the less-damaging UVA rays. Only 2% of the tested sunglasses failed the Australian standard.

"While people are increasingly likely to wear hats and skin protection with the proper SPF factor, they need to think about eyewear, too. Interestingly enough, the price paid for sunglasses does not appear to be a factor in determining how well they perform. Some of the most effective sunglasses, blocking out all UVA and UVB rays, were inexpensive," Sinclair continued.

The non-profit ACCV organization is at the Australian Open to promote their SunSmart program, a comprehensive skin cancer control program designed to inform and educate the public about the dangers of sun exposure and how to protect themselves.

In addition to sunglasses testing, the Varian Solascreen UV-Vis instrument is used to test the sun-blocking characteristics of fabrics.

Varian Associates Inc., based in Palo Alto, Calif., is a $1.4 billion, diversified, high-technology company with core businesses in analytical instruments, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and health care systems that provide products and services to worldwide markets. It operates manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia and has sales and service offices worldwide.

Press announcements and other information about Varian are available at www.varian.com.