For decades, prevention campaigns have raised awareness of the dangers of sun exposure, aiming to reduce UVR doses from behavioral changes such as seeking shade, wearing hats, sunglasses, or long sleeves. Sunglasses provide a vertical protective barrier to the eyes, the effectiveness of which is highly dependent on the radiation transmittance of the sunglass lens, sunglass geometry, and exposure conditions.

The protective effect of sunglasses is often conveyed through a non-uniform sunglass category based solely on the lens, classifying the entire solar spectrum provided: UVR, IR transmission, and visible light without regard to the periorbital skin area or environmental factors.

Exposure to UV radiation from the sun and visible blue light can trigger eye diseases, including cataracts, eyelid malignancies, uveal melanoma, photokeratitis, droplet keratopathy, and macular degeneration. Evidence suggests a strong correlation between UVR exposure and skin and eye disease.

However, their dose-response relationship remains unclear. Quantification of the cumulative UVR dose received by the eye during prolonged exposure to sunlight is critical for understanding the dose-response dependence and providing information on effective sun protection.