In recent years, gardening and yard work have become a popular activity. Aside from providing
much-needed sun exposure, gardening can also be considered a cozy and relaxing activity. In a
study evaluating the benefits of gardening and exposure to nature, researchers note that a
combination of nature exposure and physical activity show physical and mental health benefits,
including stress reduction.

Researchers also cite previous studies that found exposure to nature showed significant decreases
in stress response markers, including blood pressure and cortisol levels. Gardening has also been
shown to improve mental health by reducing depression and anxiety in adults with clinical
depression. Among those in the general population, gardening also helps increase emotional well-
being.

While the emotional and mental benefits are certainly essential, it’s also important not to overlook
some of the harms of gardening and doing yard work. Unless you have an indoor garden, most of
your gardening will take place outdoors, where you may be overexposed to heat and the sun.
Fortunately, sunglasses are one of many sun-protective tools and accessories you can use for
gardening.

The Importance of Sun Protection When Gardening

As mentioned above, wearing sunglasses is essential for sun protection. Sunlight is also important
for plant health and growth. The right amount of sunlight can impact physiological and
developmental processes for plants and fuel growth and reproduction. As such, gardeners must be
particular about the levels of sunlight that plants are exposed to. Some plants, for example, grow
better under low-light conditions, while others need full sun throughout the day for maximized
photosynthesis.
Still, while sunlight is certainly crucial for plant health, too much sun can be dangerous for us
humans. For avid gardeners, it’s important to look out for sunburn, heat stress, and long-term UV
damage. In terms of eye health, prolonged UV exposure has also been associated with cataract
formation and general worsening of eyesight. UV exposure has also been linked to eyelid cancers.
While setting up shade and making sure you put on sunscreen before stepping outdoors are
helpful, it’s also essential not to overlook the impact of sun and UV exposure on eye health. This
is where a good pair of sunglasses comes in. 

Below, we’ll share some tips for choosing sunglasses for gardening and yard work:

Choosing Prescription Sunglasses

For those who already wear regular glasses for vision correction, it may seem inconvenient to
have to constantly switch between your glasses and a new pair of shades. Fortunately, most
sunglasses today are compatible with prescription lenses, offering 100% sun protection while
retaining vision correction properties.

Nowadays, you can easily order prescription sunglasses via online retailers. Sunglass Hut offers
prescription shades from various designer brands, including models with polarized lens options if
you need harsh glare reduction. These include brands like Ray-Ban, Burberry, Gucci, and
Michael Kors. You can choose from known Ray-Ban models like the Aviator and Wayfarer for
extra style points while ensuring you keep your eyes protected without compromising vision
clarity. Sunglass Hut also offers Special Picks including special edition frames and custom
frames, if you’d like to be more creative about your prescription shades.

Considering Lens Sizes

Another factor you may want to consider when choosing sunglasses for your gardening or yard
work plans is lens size. Experts recommend bigger lens sizes to provide more coverage for sun
protection. As such, you may want to consider oversized sunglasses, which continue to be a
fashion trend, since gardening for long periods may expose you to more harmful UV rays from
the sun.
While you can always opt for classic silhouettes like Ray-Ban Aviators, many oversized
sunglasses are also heavily 60s- and 70s-inspired, such as Gucci’s tinted retro shades or Bottega
Veneta’s sharp and angular aviator approach if you want something more chic. These make them
a perfect fit to wear even when not out gardening or doing yard work. These oversized sunglasses
also provide better sun protection coverage for the areas around your eyes, which is crucial
because of how thin the skin around your eyes is.

Minimizing Exposure to Elements

Finally, larger sunglasses can also help protect your eyes from any dust, soil, or plant cuttings you
may be exposed to while gardening. For this reason, some people may opt for wraparound
sunglasses for better grip and full coverage of the eye area. While these tend to be more popular
among athletes, many eyewear brands and retailers have also started making wraparound shades

for style too, as these are comfortable, unisex, and technical models that look bold, sophisticated,
and relaxed.
These provide a wider field of vision and tend to fall or slip off your face less than regular
sunglasses. You can opt for sporty models like the Adidas Adizero Tempos or more fashion-
oriented models from brands like Marks & Spencer. As mentioned, wraparound can help shield
your eyes not just from the sun, but from other elements you may encounter in your garden or
yard as well.

Ultimately, your choice of gardening sunglasses will depend on your gardening and yard work
habits as well as your preference. If you’re looking for something stylish that you can wear
beyond garden activities, lots of stylish eyewear brands offer high-quality sunglasses with
optimal sun protection. Likewise, you can keep a separate pair of functional sunglasses like
wraparounds exclusively for gardening.

Extra Sun Protection Tips for Gardeners

While getting a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun is crucial, you should also
remember to bring them with you when gardening. You can keep them on your spring-themed
shelf or gardening rack so you don’t forget them before a long gardening session, and you can
also match your shelf decor to your sunglasses design. You can also opt for sunglass straps or
lanyards to help keep your sunglasses from falling while ensuring you don’t forget them for your
gardening session.

As mentioned above, aside from sun protection for the eyes, you should also work on protecting
other areas of your body. Setting up a sunshade for parts of your garden can help provide much-
needed shade from the sun. This will especially come in handy under the harsh midday sun,
which is considerably hotter and emits harmful UV rays.

Last but not least, wearing sunscreen and even a wide-brimmed hat can provide more sun
protection coverage for the rest of your body. You may also want to check out UPF or sun-
protective clothing for extended gardening sessions. The UPF rating of your sun-protective
clothing indicates how much UV radiation the fabric allows to reach your skin — the higher the
rating, the better the sun protection. If you aren’t familiar, you may want to check out popular
industry-leading brands like Coolibar or sports performance brands like Under Armour.

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