Now that we’re deep into the summer season, as a nation we must collectively confront that ever-present threat: the sun.
And our sun is particularly potent. It’s estimated that two out of three Australians will have to reckon with skin cancer over their lifetime. Those are terrifying numbers, but thankfully we have a plan. A plan punctuated with a punchy five word slogan: Slip, slop, slap, seek and slide.
But recently the “slip, slop, slap” part of this equation has come under scrutiny. After CHOICE sunscreen testing found that 16 out of 20 products failed to match their SPF claims, over 20 mineral-based sunscreens have been removed from sale. The most common question we’ve heard at CHOICE this year has been, ‘can you trust sunscreens?’
Sunscreen shouldn’t be your only line of defence. It should always be used in tandem with other forms of sun protection
We say yes. Any sunscreen is better than no sunscreen. But there are other ways to protect yourself, and sunscreen shouldn’t be your only line of defence. It should always be used in tandem with other forms of sun protection. Because of this, CHOICE has undertaken testing that investigates other consumer products designed to protect Australians from the sun.
First we wrote a guide on sun shelters, now we’re investigating the products related to the “slide” part of the slogan: sunglasses. They’re worn by young and old and a single pair can cost up to hundreds of dollars – but are they giving our eyes the protection we think they are?
The testing
We set out to test the UV protection claims of a range of sunglasses from a variety of brands for both adults and children. We looked at glasses from designer brands such as Versace and Prada that cost hundreds of dollars, glasses from familiar surf brands such as Oakley and Ray-Ban, and budget options from Kmart, Big W and online marketplaces.
Using a specialist lab, CHOICE tested 19 pairs of sunglasses to the Australian/New Zealand standard, which checks, among other things, the construction of the sunglasses, and their ability to filter UVA and UBV radiation. We also measured how much light is filtered out, made sure both lenses were identical (and noted if they weren’t) and a host of other things.
We tested each pair of sunglasses according to the specific claims made on their packaging. All sunglasses sold in Australia must be tested and labelled according to the Australian/New Zealand standard AS/NZS 1067.1:2016.
All sunglasses are ranked by the following categories.
Lens category 0: Fashion spectacles These are not sunglasses and have a very low ability to reduce sun glare. They provide limited or no UV protection.
Lens category 1: Fashion spectacles These are still not technically sunglasses, but provide limited sun glare reduction and some UV protection.
Lens category 2: Sunglasses These sunglasses provide a medium level of sun glare reduction and good UV protection.
Lens category 3: Sunglasses These sunglasses provide a high level of sun glare reduction and good level of UV protection.
Lens category 4: Sunglasses These are special-purpose sunglasses that provide a very high level of sun glare reduction and good UV protection.
Most of the sunglasses we tested claimed to be in lens category 3, providing a high level of sun glare reduction and a good level of UV protection
The results
Often when we do testing like this, the news is bad. Thankfully, this is one of those occasions when the news is positive! Extremely positive in fact. Almost every single set of sunglasses we looked at in this round of testing met their claims.
Often when we do testing like this, the news is bad. Thankfully, this is one of those occasions when the news is positive!
And those that didn’t failed solely on labelling issues, not on the quality of the glasses themselves and definitely not on their level of sun protection. Essentially these glasses functioned correctly but had little to no labelling at all.
But ultimately, other than labelling issues, all the sunglasses we tested complied with the Australian standard for their claimed lens category, except the Sojos Small Round Classic Polarized Sunglasses from Amazon, which also lacked the side shielding that is mandatory for category 4 lenses. A nice surprise after the issues discovered earlier in 2025 during our sunscreen testing.
Why should you wear sunglasses?
Repeated exposure to UV radiation can lead to a number of troubling eye conditions like cataracts, pterygiums (overgrowth of tissue from the white of the eye onto the cornea), solar keratopathy (cloudiness of the cornea), cancer of the conjunctiva, and skin cancer of the eyelids.
Sunglasses for kids are particularly important because of the cumulative nature of sun damage to the eyes. If you can, definitely encourage your kids to wear sunnies in their formative years. Children’s eyes are more susceptible to UV radiation, so the quicker you make this a habit the better.
Which sunglasses did we test?
SOJOS Small Round Classic Polarized Sunglasses for Women Men Vintage Style UV400 Lens SJ21132
Solarized Women’s Modern Cat Sunglasses
Budgie Sunglasses
Culburra Sunglasses
Fleming Sunglasses
Womens Fashion Sunglasses Red Brown Purple Frames Polarised Lens Wrap Style
You don’t have to spend a fortune to protect your eyes. Our testing shows that even cheap sunglasses can provide good protection.
Don’t be fooled by a dark tint. Dark lenses don’t necessarily provide UV protection, although they can block some UV light. Ensure you check the lens category to ensure maximum protection against UV rays and glare. On the packaging or in the marketing material, this might be listed as a UV400 rating or the Australian/New Zealand Standard certification (category 2 or higher).
Consider polarisation. If you spend a lot of time outdoors in high-glare situations, for example, driving, at the beach, boating or in the snow, polarised lenses might be helpful. They are usually more pricey, but they do help cut down on glare caused by sunlight reflecting off wet roads, snow, or water.
Other lens coatings. Depending on where you buy your sunglasses, you may be able to add coatings such as scratch-resistant coatings, mirror coatings (to reduce lens reflection) or blue-light coating (to reduce how much blue light enters your eyes). Some retailers will allow you to add multiple coatings based on your specific needs, however these all come at an additional cost. Shop around to ensure you’re getting the best deal.
Comfort and fit. For both kids and adults, it’s important to choose a pair that is robust and fits the shape of your face well. Most sunglasses today are made with plastic (polymer) lenses as they are cheap, lightweight and durable.
Can you get sunglasses on health insurance?
Many major health funds allow customers to claim prescription sunglasses on their health insurance if you have an Extras policy. It’s worth double checking your eligibility, but if your policy has optical benefits, you should be able get some money back on a pair of prescription sunglasses.
It is worth noting, however, that a prescription is necessary to take advantage of this, meaning if you have perfect vision, you won’t be able to get subsidised sunglasses through your health insurance.
But if you’re content with your regular prescription glasses and don’t need a new pair this year, using your optical extras benefit to buy prescription sunglasses instead can be a smart way to get more value out of your policy.
Responses from manufacturers
Amazon, who sold the Amazon Sojos Small Round Classic Polarized Sunglasses for Women Men Vintage Style UV400 Lens SJ21132, have since removed this listing from their website.
An Amazon spokesperson responded to CHOICE with the following:
“All products offered in our store must comply with applicable laws, regulations and Amazon policies. The product has been removed.”
Shein, who sold the Sunglasses Shein One For Men And Women, have since removed this listing.
A Shein spokesperson responded to CHOICE with the following:
“Shein takes product safety very seriously and is committed to offering safe and reliable products to customers. After CHOICE Australia shared the report that a single pair of sunglasses sold on Shein had a labelling issue, we immediately removed the product from the site while the company conducts its investigation.
Responsibility for any manufacturers’ statements in relation to conformity with Australian standards remains with the seller
eBay spokesperson
“Earning and maintaining the trust of our consumers is paramount, and we are fully committed to ensuring the products we offer are safe and compliant. All of our vendors are required to comply with SHEIN’s code of conduct and safety standards, and must also abide by the relevant laws and regulations of the markets where we operate.
“Shein also partners with internationally recognised product safety and quality testing agencies, including Bureau Veritas, Intertek, QIMA, SGS, and TÜV SÜD, to support our efforts to keep non-compliant products off our sites. Where instances of non-compliance are identified we take immediate action to protect our customers.”
eBay, who sold the Sunglasses eBay Womens Fashion Sunglasses Red Brown Purple Frames Polarised Lens Wrap Style, have since removed this listing from their website.
An eBay spokesperson responded to CHOICE with the following:
“We can confirm that the items that you shared with us have now been removed.
“As eBay is not the party that listed these items for sale, responsibility for any manufacturers’
statements in relation to conformity with Australian standards remains with the seller.”
We have yet to receive a response from Quay or Babiators.
Mark Serrels is the Editorial director at CHOICE. Mark oversees content on a wide variety of topics and enjoys making complex subjects easy to understand.
Prior to CHOICE, Mark worked in technology and games journalism. He edited magazines and worked on sites such as Kotaku, Gizmodo and CNET.
Mark enjoys communicating the CHOICE mission to the broadest audience possible. He wants all Australians to be informed, entertained and above all, empowered as consumers.
Mark has a Master of Arts from the University of Stirling, Scotland.
Find Mark on Twitter or LinkedIn.
Mark Serrels is the Editorial director at CHOICE. Mark oversees content on a wide variety of topics and enjoys making complex subjects easy to understand.
Prior to CHOICE, Mark worked in technology and games journalism. He edited magazines and worked on sites such as Kotaku, Gizmodo and CNET.
Mark enjoys communicating the CHOICE mission to the broadest audience possible. He wants all Australians to be informed, entertained and above all, empowered as consumers.
Mark has a Master of Arts from the University of Stirling, Scotland.
Find Mark on Twitter or LinkedIn.
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