Third of sunglasses are a health risk

1 April 2004

BARCELONA – A third of the 25 million sunglasses sold in Spain each year damage the eyes, the European Sunglasses Association said Thursday.

Antoni Olivella, ESA president, said: “We calculate that of the 25 million sunglasses sold each year in Spain, only about five million of these are high quality and another eight million do not have any type of guarantee.

“These are sold in the street, on the beach, as offers in magazines or at petrol stations.”

Olivella, who was speaking in Barcelona, said the great majority of these sunglasses are of poor quality.

They are sold for between five or six euros and are not sold in specialist shops but are made in China, said Olivella.

They are imported by suppliers for only EUR 0.70 or 0.90, he added.

“To buy sunglasses in places which are not authorised could put in danger the health of your eyes because a high percentage of these do not comply with the health regulations of the EU,” Olivilla said.

“If the lense does not have a proper filters which protect the eye, this can cause cuts or injuries to the eye like conjunctivitis or premature cataracts,” he added.

Olivilla said the majority of these sunglasses are bought by foreigners who are visiting Spain.

The association attacked the sale of poor quality sunglasses which lead to losses for the industry each year put at EUR 400 million.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news