Considering your skin can turn pink when you spend too much time in the sun, imagine the damage the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can do to your eyes. UV rays have two strengths in which you should be concerned: UVA, which can pass through
sunglasses, and UVB, which is what will turn your skin red when in the sun too long. Protect your peepers with sunglasses, which come in a number of UV-protecting and fashionable styles and lenses.
- Anti-reflective lenses. Lenses with an anti-reflexive coating don’t provide much protection from rays, but reduce glare coming off glasses, a benefit to people looking at you. These coatings also provide the added benefit of protecting lenses from scratches.
- Blublockers. These typically amber-colored lenses, as the name implies, block blue rays from the sun and prevent glare from snow and water.
- Fashion-tinted. Although not very good at blocking out UV rays, fashion tints can provide stylish protection on hazy days, or can be worn indoors, and come in most colors, like blue, pink, yellow and green.
- Gradient lenses. These lenses are tinted, also as the name implies, in a gradient from top to bottom. Gradient lenses allow enough light in to provide good vision, especially while driving, but provide the most protection from rays coming in from above.
- Mirrored lenses. Like a one-way mirror, you can see out, but powerful UV rays can’t come in. Mirrors can come in silver or gold hues, as well as a variety of colors and are highly reflective.
- Polarized Sunglasses. Popular with sports enthusiasts, as the plastic lenses won’t easily break, these lenses reduce rays horizontally polarized from glare from snow, water and roads.
- Photochromic lenses. For people who are in and outdoors often, or who require prescription glasses and sunglasses, these lenses darken or lighten depending on the amount of sunlight coming in.
- Wraparound lenses. For extra protection from harmful UV rays, wraparound lenses literally curve around the face, providing protection from the side. These lenses are typically plastic, making them good choices for outdoor action.
For people requiring prescription eyeglasses, sunglasses can still be stylish and come in a variety of choices. As mentioned, photochromic prescription lenses become tinted outdoors, and lighten indoors so there isn’t a need to change a pair of glasses. Another option is
clip on sunglasses, which are shaded lenses that clip on directly to your prescription glasses. Clip-ons can literally clip on to your glasses, or can come with a magnetic frame that attaches to your glasses. Fit-overs are another option and are sunglasses designed to fit over prescription lenses, giving you two pairs of glasses, but only requiring the removal of one set of glasses when coming indoors.
No matter your style, these lenses come in a variety of frames to suit your look. When choosing a pair of sunglasses, try to try them on in both bright light and a dimmed area to be sure they serve their purpose. You should be able to see clearly in the dimmed light, and you should not have to squint when in bright light.
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