What’s EPF (Eye Protection Factor)?

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Eye Protection Factor (EPF) is a scientifically applied sun rating designed to help people compare how well sunglasses are able to protect their eyes from the harmful effects of radiation. EPF is to non-prescription sunglasses what sun protection factor (SPF) is to sunscreen. The EPF rating is based on the frame’s coverage, ultraviolet (UV) protection, blue light protection, and infrared protection, or the ability to shield the eyes from heat. The final evaluation of the EPF is the result of the average of the scores of these four factors known by the acronym FUBI:
Frame cover
UV protection
Blue light protection
Infrared protection

Frame coverage is an important factor, as light that can reach the eye without passing through the lenses increases exposure. UV rays can cause sunburn and skin cancer, but they can also burn your eyes, causing cataracts and other vision problems. Recent research indicates that blue light, or high-energy visible (HEV) light, could contribute to macular degeneration or loss of visual detail. Infrared protection was included as part of the EPF rating because the eye presumably processes light waves differently as the eye’s surface increases in temperature. This usually isn’t a problem unless an individual is working near a heat source, such as a blower’s torch.

In the average overall EPF rating (~70-100), more weight is given to UV protection than blue light protection, as UV rays are more harmful. As a result, the blue light rating carries more weight than the infrared rating. Sunglasses that have a final EPF rating in the mid-nineties have performed well.

The FUBI EPF website lists the sunglasses tested along with their EPF scores. While voluntary, some hope that this standard will become as widely adopted as the SPF standard. The most recent non-prescription sunglasses standard to be adopted in the United States was the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z80.3-2001. This 2001 standard does not require sunglasses to quantify the amount of UV light blocked, nor does it require a test for blue light transmittance. It also doesn’t take frame coverage into consideration.

Sunglasses manufactured in accordance with ANSI Z80.3-2001 are not necessarily adequate unless they significantly exceed it. The EPF rating provides more information to consumers, enabling them to make wiser choices based on quantitative scientific testing methods.

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