Cheap sunglasses are bad for you

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Global warming prompts Council warning

As London fries in record heat, Ealing Council’s trading standards team has issued a warning about the potential dangers of fake sunglasses.

Residents are being urged to avoid the lure of these cheap ‘designer’ accessories because they may damage their eyes and fall apart easily.

The warning follows a recent seizure of 40 pairs of counterfeit sunglasses copying various brands - including Chanel, Christian Dior, D&G and Hugo Boss - from a shop in Greenford.

The action was part of a rolling programme of spot checks on shops across the borough to identify and crackdown on counterfeit products including sunglasses, suncreams, clothing and DVDs.

Cllr Will Brooks, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “With designer sunglasses, it really is a case of you get what you pay for. Genuine sunglasses - both cheaper ones and the designer labels - undergo strict British Standard tests to ensure they are safe and offer protection.

“Counterfeit sunglasses cost a fraction of the price of genuine ones, but may not have been made or tested to the same standards, so they may not provide any protection at all against ultra-violet rays. That leaves the wearer at risk of eye damage.

“It doesn’t matter how dark they are. In fact, darker glasses cause your pupils to widen to let in more light. If your sunglasses offer no protection, this will allow more UVA and UVB light to enter your eyes than if you were wearing no sunglasses at all.”

Cllr Brooks said counterfeit sunglasses were a problem across the country, but were more prevalent in summer.

“Sunglasses are seen as easy money for counterfeiters, as shoppers are attracted by the promise of a designer look at a bargain price. They may look great, but they could be doing your eyes more harm than good.”

How to spot a fake – advice from Ealing’s trading standards team:

• Fake ‘designer’ sunglasses usually sell for between £1-£20, so if you think you are getting the bargain of the year – you’re probably not getting the real thing. However, some unscrupulous traders may try to charge consumers a price only slightly discounted from the price of the genuine article, to trick consumers into thinking they are buying the real thing.

• They are often sold unpackaged or within a flimsy plastic sleeve. Real designer sunglasses are generally sold in quality packaging that is consistent with the upmarket reputation of the brand – often with warranty information inside.

• Test the hinges – they will be inferior to hinges on genuine designer sunglasses.

• Genuine glasses usually feature a small peel-off sticker (affixed to one of the lenses) that details what kind of UV protection the glasses offer. Counterfeits may not display this sticker.

July 20, 2006