Different Sunglasses’ Lenses You Must Know About
To deal with the risks associated with the sun’s harmful UV rays, sunglasses should be your go-to outdoor eyewear accessory. But what if you need eyesight correction too? In such a case, prescription sunglasses are what you need to opt for to enjoy the dual function of both eyesight correction and UV protection. Just like prescription sunglasses that utilise lenses fitted with prescription, you will come across various other options of lenses for your sunglasses.
When I was looking for prescription sunglasses for men over the internet last week, I came across various other types of sunglasses utilising different types of lenses. Read on to know about them!
Prescription Sunglasses
For all those who wear prescription glasses, remember to make a switch to prescription sunglasses whenever you step outdoors in sunny conditions, instead of sticking to a normal pair of prescription glasses.
Both eyesight correction and UV protection are equally important under the sun, and prescription sunglasses will serve both these functions, whereas a normal pair of prescription glasses will only provide eyesight correction.
While buying your prescription sunglasses, a prerequisite is that you need to have a prescription. In case you are not aware of it or if your existing prescription needs an update, you can get your eyes tested to get to know about your exact prescription requirement.
To find a perfect pair of prescription sunglasses, your pupillary distance (PD) is very helpful. No need to worry as you can measure your PD at home by using simple methods. Here is how to measure pupillary distance.
Polarised Sunglasses
Along with the function of UV protection, polarised sunglasses are also helpful in eliminating glare. In outdoor surroundings, glare is very common and it is a result of horizontally reflected light rays that are reflected by various surfaces and reach our eyes.
With the help of a filter applied over their lenses, polarised sunglasses filter out the light rays responsible for causing glare.
Well, no need to worry if you require eyesight correction as you can even get your polarised sunglasses fitted with prescription lenses to ensure a perfect vision under the sun. To get rid of glare while driving, or to prevent it from causing problems while you enjoy the natural scenic beauty on a trip, or even to improve your catch during a fishing outing with your friends, polarised sunglasses are super effective.
Transition Lenses
Transition lenses differ from other lenses – thanks to the coating of photochromic dyes. On exposure to UV rays, the UV protection function of these dyes gets activated and they immediately begin to darken. The extent to which transition lenses darken when exposed to UV rays of the sun depends on the intensity of light striking their surface.
When you are indoors, transition lenses maintain a fully clear visual appeal, serving as your normal pair of glasses. As you step outdoors, and with UV rays meeting the surface of transition lenses, they immediately begin to darken.
Talking about the style element of transition lenses, they are a big thing in the fashion space in modern times. The cool manner in which they change their appearance is difficult to go unnoticed.
Mirrored Sunglasses
We have talked about polarised sunglasses and how they provide protection from glare. However, there is another variant of sunglasses that do the same – mirrored sunglasses. The lenses used in both these types provide UV and glare protection, but there is a difference here. They differ in the construction of their lenses, which also results in different visual appeals.
They get their name as mirrored sunglasses owing to a thin metallic layer that is applied over the lenses of these pairs. Also, it is this layer that is responsible for the function of glare protection. Their opaque visual appeal from outside might make you wonder whether enough light is allowed to pass through for a perfect vision. However, sufficient light is allowed to reach your eyes so that you can see clearly, and UV rays and reflected light rays responsible for causing glare are also filtered.
Mirrored sunglasses have risen in popularity in recent times and today, you find them available in all styles and types. So don’t hesitate to style these offbeat sunnies that also have a great utility.
Clip-on Sunglasses
Here is another super stylish variant of sunglasses to add to this list! There are two separate parts comprising a pair of clip-on sunglasses – a normal pair of glasses on which a pair of clip-on lenses with UV protective coating is attached.
Apart from being stylish, clip-on sunglasses are also very handy, making them convenient for those who have to carry both glasses and sunglasses as they frequently need to switch between indoor and outdoor spaces. Since clip-on sunglasses spot a different design altogether, these pairs will certainly help you gain some bonus style points with your eyewear fashion.
Clip-on sunglasses can be categorised into three common types – namely, standard, flip-up, and magnetic. Choosing between them is totally your personal choice and depends on what suits you best.