sunglasses

For all the hype surrounding sunglasses as fashion accessories, it’s also important to remember that they are vital to the health of your eyes and the quality of your long term vision. 

Without adequate protection, the sun’s rays, glare and UV can all damage your vision slowly and imperceptibly. Ideally, your sunglasses should block all UV rays, prevent polarising light, and of course look sensational while doing these things. 

Maui Jim Tail Slide polarised sunglasses - Eyecare Plus Tamworth

UV DAMAGE

Ultraviolet (UV) rays are harmful, not only to your skin, but they can also damage your eyelids, cornea, the lens of your eye and other parts of your eye.

Exposure to UV rays can also lead to diseases such as cataracts or macular degeneration. Therefore proper sunglass protection is a must for adults and children alike.

Sunglasses tints enhance or distort colour in different ways, but the darkness of the tint doesn’t equate to increased UV protection. The UV protection is in the coatings applied to the lens, which is why our non-tinted prescription glasses are also UV protected. 

Sunglasses…. because you can’t put sunscreen on your eyeballs

Glare & Polarisation

When light is reflected from a flat surface: road, water, snow, ice… it becomes polarised. This glare, with its specific properties, is extremely dazzling, uncomfortable on the eyes and can not only impair your vision but also damage your eyes. The best way to block it is to use a polarising filter.

Normal tinted lenses reduce light. But polarised lenses eliminate reflected glare, thus improving visual comfort and safety. They also restore the richness of colours in your environment.

In everyday life: outdoors, while driving… you will benefit from the best quality of vision with the lowest glare.

Quality check

Don’t waste your money on cheap sunglasses without proper lenses that don’t protect your eyes. ‘Fashion’ sunglasses often have dark-tinted lenses that may cut down on glare, but won’t provide enough UV protection.

At Eyecare Plus Tamworth we prescribe the quality sunglasses protection your eyes deserve. They will:

  • protect your eyes 100% from harmful UVA/UVB rays
  • give greater optical clarity
  • enhance colours and improve contrast
  • offer double sided scratch resistant coatings

Sunglasses style hacks

Here’s some insider sunglasses style hacks you might want to consider if you don’t want an off-the-shelf sunglasses design.

 

  • Did you know that you can have sunglasses made from almost any optical frame? Not just ‘sunglasses’ frames, but any frame that you fall in love with? So all those frames with clear lenses you see in our practice – you can have them made into a unique pair of sunnies for you, with your precise prescription.
  • You can use optical frames for sunglasses even if you don’t need prescription sunglasses. We have non-prescription sunglass lenses in stock that we can cut and fit ‘same day’ for instant style.
  • What if you’re wanting one-of-a-kind sunglasses that no-one else will have? You could customise an optical frame with your selection of made-to-order specialty lenses, like Transitions, mirror or colour gradient, creating a truly unique pair of sunglasses to reflect your personal style.

Our Optical Dispensing team love custom projects like this – talk to them for inspiration and advice.

Macey wearing Safarro optical frames customised with Shamir mirror gradient lenses

Macey wearing Safarro optical frames customised with Shamir mirror gradient lenses