Purchasing tips for sunglasses
Sunglasses do more than just make you look cool! Now, you probably already knew that. However, lets dive into what sunglasses have to offer you and why Optometrists recommend them.
Starting with the basics, sunglasses are simply glasses that have a tinted lens. The tint in the lens is designed to reduce the amount of light entering your eye, but also provide UV protection. The lenses can also be polarized, meaning the lenses have a special chemical applied to them that blocks out horizontally oriented glare. Different tints offer different benefits. See the summary below to help you decide on the best tint for you.
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Good for cloudy and sunny days
Allows for purest representation of colours
Great for all-purpose use
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Work well in sunny conditions
Increases contrast for landscapes
Great for outdoor sports, fishing, and driving
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Great for sunny and overcast days
Equal colour transmission
General purpose lens
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Work well in low light conditions
Can help improve contrast
Good for biking, hunting, aviation
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Improves colour perception
Improves contour
Great in low light conditions
Reduces glare
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Great in most weather conditions, but especially snow
Visual depth enhanced
Great for driving
The tint acts as a filter, thus can impact the colour wavelengths coming through the lens. This is why certain tints work better in unique conditions and weather circumstances. The other common question people ask about sunglasses is whether polarization would be a good way to spend their money. That depends on what you plan to do with the glasses. Because they cut out horizontal glare, they are particularly useful for environments where horizontal glare can be bothersome. Snow and water are two very common scenarios where horizontal glare can be very bothersome. Winters in Calgary are a great example of when polarization is extremely useful due to the bright sunny days causing so much glare off the snow. Fishing, water sports, and even a casual weekend at the cabin are times when the polarized glasses can come out again. Fishermen particularly benefit from this as well because it helps them see through the water. It can be the difference between you hooking the big one or not!
One of the other questions that comes up is about mirrored sunglasses. This is mostly considered a cosmetic benefit, but there are a few benefits that could be argued. Since they reflect more light, they can result in brighter and superior visual clarity. The other benefit is you can be more incognito. Otherwise, they just look neat and some people prefer the look!
Overall, the main reason everyone should wear sunglasses is actually due to the ultraviolet (UV) protection that they provide. This wavelength of light can cause damage to the eye. This includes everything from the front to the back of the eye. UV damage is the main cause for cataracts. Cataracts occur when the lens inside the eye gets cloudy due to oxidative damage. Wearing sunglasses outdoors helps reduce the progression and development of cataracts and has also been linked with helping other ocular conditions.
UV rays have three main classifications. UVA rays have the longest wavelengths, but lowest energy. UVC rays have the shortest wavelengths, but highest energy. As you may have guessed, UVB rays are right in between UVA and UVC. We are fortunate though because the Earth’s ozone layer absorbs all of the UVC rays and some UVB rays. However, we still encounter UVA and some UVB rays. Thus, it is important to have sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays to have the best protection for your eyes.
Now that you know all that, it should make your life a lot easier while purchasing your sunglasses. Remember to try and wear them as often as you can when outside because even on an overcast day there are UV rays present. And most importantly make the most of those beautiful sunny days while keeping your eyes healthy!
