How to Choose Wisely When Buying Your Sunglasses
While many people will happily buy cheaper sunglasses at High Street stores, there are a large proportion of those who prefer to buy higher quality sunglasses that will last and keep their looks for longer. There are several designer brands that you can look for including Oakley, Dolce and Gabbana, Bloc, Bolle, Armani, Quiksilver, Spy and Electric sunglasses to name but a few! However, you should also consider the primary reason why you are buying new glasses.
Firstly, bear in mind that sunglasses, cheap or expensive, should comply with certain standards with regard eye protection. These standards carry different labels depending on the country. In Europe you need to check for EN 1836:2005, in the US the standard is ANSI Z80.3-1972 and Australia AS1067. Basically, don’t go by price but by the amount of UV protection the glasses give you.
Sunglasses should protect against 100% of UV rays and also filter out UVA, UVB and UVC as well. You should also remember that irrespective of the colour or darkness of the lens, it is actually the clear outer coating that filters the rays and not the colour.
Do you want your new sunglasses for driving, for fishing, for golf, water sports, mountaineering, or perhaps for cycling? Many people don’t consider the reason, but you should because the colour of the lenses and construction of the glasses may affect your vision in different ways. The intended use for your glasses is probably why some sunglasses come with interchangeable lenses such as the Oakley sunglass kits.
For example, some tints can illicit colour distortion that can affect driving performance. Driving glasses should help you keep alert and keep your eyes comfortable without causing headaches. Look for polarised lenses with a grey lens as this is neutral and would not affect contrast or distort any colours. However, yellow is the preferred colour for golfers as it enhances contrast and depth perception.
For cycling, you really need a tougher lens and to consider the increased airflow to the face, you need to protect the peripheral vision and also consider the fit of the helmet with the glasses.
There are a few sports that demand particular elements for sunglasses. For example, for mountaineering and other altitude sports one needs to consider extremely bright conditions as well as the high altitudes. Altitude sports essentially require category 4 lenses that take such conditions into account. Glasses or goggles required for water sports such a surfing or kayaking etc., should be shatterproof, should not fog, have a nose cushion, be buoyant and have a means of fixing such as a strap.
In summary, think about the colour of the lenses and other considerations in relation to the intended use of your glasses as well as getting the best UV protection.
Get more info about a range of designer designer sunglasses, and related articles at www.qualitysunshades.com about sports use and driving for example.