BATON ROUGE — Sunglasses are not just a fashion accessory; they can also be a necessity.

Picking the right pair can provide crucial protection for your eyes.

"So it's so important to protect your eyes from the sun because it increases your risk of cataracts, macular degeneration and potentially even eye cancers. And so, you know, you want to make sure that anytime that you're outside, or potentially exposed to sun or UV radiation, you're protecting those eyes,” Nicole Bajic, ophthalmologist, said.

Experts say a dark lens or high price tag does not necessarily offer the best protection for your eyes. It is more important to look for a pair that has 100% UV protection.

You should see the designation on the packaging, or sometimes it is labeled as UV 400. Larger frames with the appropriate UV protection offer the best coverage and help protect the skin, around your eyes as well.

When shopping, you may also see polarized lenses.

"So what polarization does, it just reduces the glare, so it can help make it maybe feel a little safer, you know, driving or, you know, playing certain sports, just to cut down on the glare that you see,” Bajic said.

You still need to be sure polarized lenses also offer full UV protection.