Do you need new Sunglasses? Part 1
Sunglasses are a great idea. They give you more comfortable vision and eye protection in bright light outdoors.
Do you need new sunglasses? Here are 5 things to think about:
1) THE LENS TINT:
This feature will most influence how your sunglasses will work for you. There are many options to choose from.
Tint Colour and Intensity:
People may choose colours that are personal favourites or are optimal for certain activities or eye conditions. Grey or brown colours are the most common – providing good performance for most activities.
o Grey tinted lenses reduce the amount of light but do not change the perception of colours.
o Brown and amber tinted lenses will reduce the amount of blue light transmitted through the lens which increases contrast.
o Gradient tints: The standard gradient tint will be darker above and lighter below.
Ultraviolet Protection: Tints are not the same as ultraviolet (UV) light protection. Be sure your sunglass lens offers UV protection for your eyes and the delicate skin around your eyes.
Tints than change with light levels: Photochromic lenses are often referred to by their brand names with “Transition” being perhaps the best known. Other brands are “Photofusion” or “Sensity”.
o Advantages: One pair of prescription glasses can conveniently also serve as a sunglass. Most photochromic lenses will also block out ultraviolet light.
o Disadvantages:
One does have to wait a little for the tint to darken or lighten. Colder temperatures may increase the amount of darkening and the time to lighten.
Solution: New lenses will typically perform better especially the new generation photochromic lenses.
Remember that in a vehicle they will not go as dark.
Solution: Some people will keep a clip-on sunglass in the vehicle for when they need some extra help on bright days.
There are also some specialized photochromic lenses that can be ideal. For example, some will have a darker range in all light conditions and others develop polarizing properties as they darken.
Polarized Lenses:
Polarized sunglasses allow only “vertically-oriented” light rays to pass through the lens. They are good lenses to use when on the water or snow as the lens blocks reflected horizontally-oriented light. Although in some circumstances these lenses can make certain details such as an ice patch less visible. Polarizing lenses will also make it more difficult to see liquid crystal displays (LCDs) depending on the viewing angle.
Driving:
Sunglasses can make driving much more comfortable. If you plan to use your sunglasses for driving consider brown or grey coloured lenses. Some tint colours or tint intensities are not recommended for use with driving. Sunglasses are not suitable for night driving.