Articles

Looking for sunglass advice?

October 17, 2018
Articles

Living in  the fabulous Bay sunglasses are needed all year round. Glare protection provides comfortable vision and also protects the eyes from harmful wavelengths of light-notably ultraviolet.

How do our sunglasses work? It’s not just about the dark tint. Different lenses have different effects, and knowing what those are enables you to choose the sunglasses that are best for you!

Get Rid Of Glare With Polarized Lenses

If you want sunglasses that eliminate glare, polarized lenses are the way to go. They essentially work like windows with microscopic built-in blinds. Light is only able to enter from certain directions. This means that any light that has bounced off  surfaces around you, like water,footpaths or a nearby car, can’t come through and create dazzle. Polarised lenses are available in grey brown and green options and also are now available in combination with photochromic and graduated options

Polarised lenses are generally our first choice as a sunglass lens whether plano or combined with your prescription.

The Colour Of The Lens Matters

Coloured sunglasses lenses look pretty awesome, but did you know that they actually serve a purpose? If your lenses are yellow or amber, that makes them great for outdoor sports — snow sports especially, because they filter out the blue light glaring off the snow. They also increase contrast and improve your depth perception, which helps you see the changes in the snowy terrain.

We can also offer specialty advice on tints for those with macula degeneration and early cataracts.

Purple or rose lenses create greater contrast between objects and a blue or green background, and that makes them perfect for waterskiing and hunting! If you’d rather not have the colours you see altered by your lenses, though, you might prefer ones that are black, gray, or green. Green doesn’t change much about the colours you see, but it does still filter out blue light.

The Effect Of Mirrored Lenses

If you love the look of classic Aviator sunglasses, we’re right there with you. Like coloured lenses, mirrored lenses have a greater benefit than just the cool look. They significantly reduce the amount of light that will reach your eyes because most of it bounces off the mirrored surface. This makes them great for sandy or snowy conditions, high altitudes, and being on the water. Wraparound mirror sunglasses are also pretty good for extreme sports.

Beware of Cheap Sunglasses

Cheap sunglasses can actually put your eyes in more danger than if you simply went without sunglasses altogether. Being dark-tinted does not mean the lenses offer your eyes crucial UV-protection. Instead, they can trick your pupils into dilating, which lets even more of those harmful rays in. At least when you’re squinting against the bright light, your pupils know to contract.

Come To Us With Your Sunglasses Questions!

If you still have questions about what kinds of sunglasses would be right for you, just ask us! We can help you make sure you get sunglasses that protect your eyes the best for your favourite outdoor activities. In particular, we can help you make sure your sunglasses offer full UV protection!

We hope all of our wonderful patients have a fantastic summer!