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1.700.000 pairs of counterfeited sunglasses have been impounded in Italy just over the last two years, which is an exorbitant but at the same time limited figure, if one considers the amount of unlawful glasses that still stays on the market.
As well as clothing, bags, shoes, food and even toothpaste industry, the invasion of products that do not observe safety standards is affecting also the optics field, becoming more and more alarming and making it necessary for the final consumer to be better informed.
“The present Italian market is literally invaded by unlawful and often counterfeited sunglasses,” Massimo Dona, Secretary-General of the National Consumer Union, states, “for example, a lot of sunglasses with a fake CE trademark -which the consumer identifies as a seal of quality- come from China.
The types are different from those fixed by the European Community - for Chinese people, the mark CE means China Export-, but the consumer thinks that the product is according to law.
To verify the inadequacy of sunglasses that do not respect the regulations in force is the first step to protect the consumer’s health.
It is then necessary to rely exclusively on guaranteed products by verifying the certification of the explanatory notes that illustrate the correct use and the protection level and that must be enclosed to each high-quality glasses and this can be found only in professional shops, that is at the optics’ or optometrist’.

Related articles: The Italians are careless when they buy sunglasses 2 di 3.
Edited by DANIELA GARBILLO, source b2eyes July 07.

The opinion poll that has been recently carried out by the Sight Defence Commission has confirmed that the suggestion of cheap sunglasses -which more than often are not according to law and do not protect from ultra-violet rays- prevails over the awareness of having to look for quality: this is what Massimiliano Dona, General Secretary of the National Consumer Association comments on.
In particular, he highlights the huge difference between what one should do -that is, choosing the glasses thanks to the help of a professional optic or optometrist- and what most young people actually do.
Their purchases are often dictated by the superficiality that leads the young to buy and wear fake and low-quality glasses instead of guaranteed and certified ones.
When buying outside of the professional field, indeed, it is easy to come across metal frames which contain more nickel than it is allowed by law -and that, consequently, cause allergies- or lenses that, irrespectively of their colour, do not protect from sun rays and, instead of having positive effects, can damage the eyes, since prevent them from accomplishing even that little natural protection which they are capable of.
Even if the idea of buying glamorous sunglasses -maybe the imitation of a famous brand- at giveaway prices, can sound as an occasion, the damages caused by counterfeited glasses can be really serious: anomalous conditions, such as optic aberrations -with the consequent image distortion or unwanted prismatic effects- may happen, as Maria Antonietta Blasi, professor at the Ophthalmological Clinic of the University of Aquila and counsellor of the Sight Defence Commission, informs us.
All this can result in a serious reduction of the visual capacity and the alteration of colour perception –a dangerous situation above all for drivers, who expose the eye to UV rays.
Besides, frames materials, if not according to law, can cause serious allergies: "Glasses frames must be made from safe and certified materials,"Massimo Trevisol, optic and optometrist, expert of the Sight Defense Commission, explains "otherwise they can produce serious trouble and allergic reactions of various kinds".
At the same time, it is not unusual that the glasses bought at the stalls or from pedlars are even counterfeited, as far as the brand or the model is concerned, and that, in addition to possible sight damages, they are injurious also to the economy.

Related articles: The Italians are careless when they buy sunglasses 1 di 3.

Edited by DANIELA GARBILLO, source b2eyes July 07.

According to a survey carried out by the Sight Defense Commission, eye protection from UV rays is often neglected.
Summer, sun, seaside, lakes, mountain, exotic places. Everyone pays attention to possible skin scaldings, using appropriate products. But what about the eyes?
According to the data gathered by the Sight Defense Commission among a major sample representative of the population, eyes take second place.
The Italian people, in fact, seem to pay little attention to sight care. The 33% of the interviewees do not consider necessary to buy sunglasses to protect themselves from UV rays.
Besides, the 25% of the Italian young between 18 and 24 years, and among them women in particular, states that they have bought sunglasses over the last two years outside the professional field, relying on stalls or pedlars, who crowd beaches and tourist places above all in summer.
This kind of purchase, most of the times from abusive sellers, often coincides with sunglasses that, being very cheap, do not meet the necessary safety requirements, as far as both lenses and frames are concerned.
Surprisingly, the 87% of the interviewees maintains that they are aware of the low quality and the possible damages to the eyes, but this does not change their behaviour at purchase time, which is made superficially above all by young people and women.
For those who are under 35, the key factors in the choice of sunglasses are the price (16,2%) and the aesthetics (15,3%), which can lead to a hasty purchase.
Another alarming datum is that the 10,6% of the Italians among 35 and 44 years would buy a pair of sunglasses for their child from stalls (a datum which rises up to 12,8% for only women of this age).

Edited by DANIELA GARBILLO, source b2eyes July 07.