If you are of the opinion that choosing a pair of sunglasses simply consists in trying out a lot of models while looking in the mirror, reading this article will lead you to consider totally different parameters. Have you ever thought about UV protection? To robustness? Visibility? Behind the choice of a good pair of sunglasses there are many things to evaluate in addition to the aesthetic aspect!
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Protective Factor
Step 1. Protect your eyes
Excessive exposure to UV rays can cause various eye problems, such as cataracts, inflammation and tumors.
Step 2. If you want sunglasses that protect you from these risks, look for a pair that blocks at least 99% of UVB rays and at least 95% of UVA rays
Step 3. Do not buy low quality sunglasses, the label of which does not give any information about the degree of UV protection
Part 2 of 4: Style
Step 1. Sunglasses come in all shapes and sizes
Here are some quite popular varieties:
- Mirrored - with a reflective cover on the surface. Typically worn by US police officers. They are available in aviator or wraparound shapes.
- Aviator - with teardrop lenses and slim frames. Often worn by pilots and the military. They are suitable for any type of face, but especially for oval ones.
- Wayfarer / Vans Spicoli Sunglasses - Popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Worn by Audrey Hepburn in 1961 in Breakfast at Tiffany's.
- Teashade Glasses - Brought to the fore by John Lennon and Ozzy Osbourne. As for eye protection, they are not particularly effective, it must be said.
- Enveloping - Associated with athletics and extreme sports.
- Oversized Glasses - Often worn by models and movie stars. Flashy and trendy.
Step 2. Make sure your glasses are the right size
Try them on and make sure they aren't too tight. The weight should be distributed equally between the ears and nose and the eyelashes should not touch the frame or the lenses.
Part 3 of 4: Lens Color
Step 1. The color of the lenses not only responds to aesthetic factors, but also affects contrast and the ability to differentiate colors
Lenses of a certain type increase the contrast - which can be useful in some cases - but always at the expense of the ability to distinguish colors. This can cause problems in certain situations, such as when driving and having to distinguish the colors of a traffic light. Some glasses have interchangeable lenses and offer the ability to change the color of the lens depending on what you are doing.
- The gray lenses reduce the light intensity without affecting the contrast or distort the colors.
- Brown lenses increase contrast by partially blocking blue light. They are good for winter sports and hunting in bright light and in open spaces.
- Amber / yellow lenses significantly increase contrast by blocking blue light almost entirely. They are very popular with hunters who need to locate prey against the sky background. They are not suitable for those activities in which colors must be recognized (such as driving!) They are suitable for those who practice winter sports.
- Red / orange lenses are good for winter sports, but only when the sky is overcast. If you are a shooter, be aware that orange lenses are good for clay pigeon shooting on an open background.
- Purple lenses are good for shooters who need to distinguish the target on a green background.
- The copper-colored lenses soften the color of the sky and the grass around the golf ball.
- The blue and green lenses increase the contrast with the tennis ball (as long as it is yellow!)
Part 4 of 4: Materials
Step 1. Sunglasses, once scratched, become useless
Polyurethane NXT lenses are flexible, lightweight and impact resistant. They guarantee extremely clean vision, but are quite expensive.
- Glass is heavier, more expensive and, when shattered, is subject to the characteristic "spider web" break.
- Polycarbonate is less resistant to scratches and offers a less clean look than NXT polyurethane or glass, but it is less expensive.
- Acrylic is also inexpensive, but it is less resistant and does not guarantee an equally clean vision.
Advice
- Round frames look good on square faces, rectangular frames look good on heart-shaped faces, and square frames look good on round faces.
- Make sure that the glasses you have chosen are not only comfortable but also comfortable. Avoid glasses that are too big / small for your face, heavy or uncomfortable.
- Make sure your glasses are the right size and don't fall off your face. While playing sports, evaluate the conformation of the surrounding environment and be careful, as the glasses may accidentally slip off.
- When you're not wearing them, keep your glasses in a hard case while you travel, otherwise you might just accidentally sit on them and make a real mess of them.
Warnings
- Wearing low-quality sunglasses damages your eyesight. Their dark lenses limit the amount of light that reaches the eye, causing pupil dilation, however, since they do not block UVA or UVB rays, the latter penetrate the eye through the dilated pupil. Never wear dark lenses unless they block UVA and UVB rays.
- Photochromic lenses (those that change color depending on the lighting) are less effective in the heat (they become darker in cold weather than when temperatures are higher). In addition, in the car they do not work at all, as they darken with UV rays and the windshield of the car blocks these rays.
- Polarized lenses reduce glare, but can react with windshield tint to create blind spots and disrupt vision on LCD screens.
