Why should I wear sunglasses?

Prescription Sunglasses

What lens options are available?

What are polarised lenses?

What about lens colours?

What should I look for in a sunglasses frame?

 

Why should I wear sunglasses?

Although sunglasses may be worn as a fashion item, it is very important that the tint and type of lens is effective in screening out harmful rays and in reducing glare. There is no way of telling what the exact performance of a sunglass lens is just by looking at it, nor does lens or frame quality relate directly to cost.

Sunglasses are necessary to:

• protect your eyes from the sun's harmful rays.
• to protect the sensitive skin of the eyelids.
• to reduce discomfort due to glare.
• to retain good night vision after spending the day in bright conditions.

Sunglass frames can be fitted with prescription lenses!

We have a fantastic range of prescription sunglasses available, they can be fitted with most prescriptions including:
Single Vision, Bifocal and Progressive Lenses.

All prescription sunglasses lenses feature the same technology as normal sunglass lenses and they are also available in polarised,
with your choice in lens colour.

Adidas Performance Insert

This discreet optical insert is clipped in behind the lenses and corrects your vision.
They are sturdy and sit securely in place no matter what demanding activities one gets up to!

It can also be easily removed when required

What lens options are available?

Sunglass lenses may be either glass or plastic.

Glass Lenses:

• Good scratch resistance.
• Can be broken even if hardened.
• Heavier than plastic.
• Available in fixed (solid), photochromic (light sensitive), polarised and mirror tints.

Plastic Lenses:

• May be more easily scratched if not hard coated.
• Half the weight of glass lenses.
• Very safe (hard to break).
• Available in solid, graduated, polarising, photochromic and mirror tints.
• Good quality plastic lenses are as "optically correct" (ie. free of distortion) as glass.
  

What are polarised lenses?

Glare is generally described in three ways, all of which can cause discomfort, even though they do not harm your eyes.

"Discomfort glare" is what we probably complain off most often. It may be slight, on a cloudy day, or dazzlingly bright on a clear day. By reducing the amount of light entering the eyes, a good general purpose sunglass will reduce discomfort glare, improving both the comfort and quality of vision.

"Reflected glare" is the result of light bouncing off snow, water, sand, the road or car bonnet. Polarising lenses are the most effective in reducing reflected glare, although ordinary general purpose sunglass lenses may still reduce total glare to a comfortable level. Full tints, which are uniform in colour across the whole lens, are much more effective than gradutints, which are darker at the top of the lens than the bottom. Because the lower part of the lens is pale gradutints provide little relief from reflected glare.

"Disability glare" reduces vision due to scattering of light inside the eye. This may be a particular problem in older eyes where there is often a loss of transparency in the optical tissues inside the eye. An example of disability glare is the reduction of vision which occurs with oncoming headlights at night. Sunglasses should not be worn for disability glare.

What about lens colours?

Tint colour does not give any indication of the UV or IR absorption of a lens

• Grey does not alter colours.
• Polarised lenses are particularly good at absorbing reflected light and so are excellent for fishermen.
• Mirror lenses may be used for intense glare and are good for skiing, mountain climbing and pilots.
• Graduated tints which are darker at the top of the lens than the bottom are a fashion item. Gradutints do not stop glare reflected from the road, snow or water and are not recommended as general purpose sunglasses.

What should I look for in a pair of sunglasses?

Should be comfortable, durable and preferably adjustable

Plastic Sunglass Frames:

• Must fit well on the nose to be comfortable.
• Some can be difficult to adjust.
• Are less likely to get uncomfortably cold to touch when skiing.
• Are often cheaply mass-produced and may be poorly finished with moulding lines which can make them uncomfortable to wear.

Metal Sunglass Frames:

• Can usually be adjusted to fit.
• Are often cooler to wear.
• Have more moving parts, screws etc and so may need attention more often.
• Cheaper ones may be soft or brittle and so less durable.

When choosing sunglasses: 

• The lens quality and performance is the most important factor.
• The comfort and fit of the frame is very important.
• Ease of adjustment and repair is an advantage.
• Style and fashion, although important to the wearer is not important for your eyes!
• Some sunglass frames can be fitted with prescription lenses.

High priced sunglasses are not necessarily the best. Many expensive "designer" and "brand name" sunglasses may have lenses that are no better than more modestly priced ones.

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