An expose done by China Central Television has revealed 9 out of 10 sunglasses made for kids are not up to standard.
Zhou Tianyi, a quality supervisor with the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision, says parents need to be more careful.
"Most people are focusing on the sunglasses' look, whether it's fashionable or colorful. As for the sales location and vender, there are so many. However most of them don't have professional knowledge. Usually they sell them as toys or accessories to children instead of optical lenses, regardless the safety issues."
An International Standard for Organization, or ISO, for sunglasses does not exist.
Hu Dongfang, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Optometric & Optical Association, says it’s this loophole that's allowing poor quality children's eyewear to flood the market.
"Because of the sales surge, more children's sunglasses are being sold, and vendors are aware of the loophole in the market. That's why they've been exploiting the advantage."
Experts note toddlers and teenagers are more prone to UV radiation than adults.
Ye Jiayi with the National Inspection and Testing Center for Ophthalmic Products says some of the sunglasses being sold may even be detrimental to children's eyes.
"Some consumers could end up having blurry vision or fatigue after wearing the sunglasses with poor quality."
According to the report, most of the colorful shades failed the optics tests.
Sun Huanbao with the National Ophthalogy Testing Institute says there is also a risk of color blindness.
"If the glasses failed the test, it could mean that children may see colors differently through the glasses. This could potentially lead to them not being able to identify the color of a traffic light. This could pose a threat to traffic safety."
Quality supervisor Zhou Tianyi says parents need to be more aware of what they're buying.
"Of the 39 products we tested, 38 of them don't have safety warnings. These glasses are meant for kids. So if the product doesn't have instructions and requirements for special use, parents won't know how to use them properly. It could be possible to harm a child."
Doctors are suggesting that children under the age of 6 don't wear sunglasses.
For CRI, I'm Min Rui.
