What should you look for when buying sunglasses?

HOUSTON – It's not just for the fashion forward: If you want to preserve your eye health, putting on sunglasses should be taken as seriously as sunscreen.

"We have patients who get corneal damage, who get almost like burns on their cornea," Dr. Sumitra Khandelwal, BCM opthamologist, said about people hiking, skiing without sunglasses.

She says polarized glasses may feel more comfortable during outdoor activities and will help combat high glare while on a lake or pool. However, she said sunglasses that say UVA/UVB protection need to be your priority.

"It's really important to protect against UV light. There's been associations between UV light and cataract formation and retina problems, actually," Dr. Khandelwal said.

The style and price are no indicator for which is better, just keep in mind the ones offering the most protection will advertise that they block both UVA and UVB rays.

"You don't have spend hundreds of dollars to get good eye protection," Khandelwal said.

Khandelwal likes that over-sized sunglasses are in style. She says they protect the skin around your eye.

There are small skin cancers that can show up on the delicate skin around your eyes, she said, and sunglasses can help cover that area, which is often left untouched by sunscreen.