Five Important Considerations When Buying Sunglasses

Sunglasses go beyond reducing the sun’s glare. They also offer protection from sun damage to your eyes and your skin. That is why you need to make a considered purchase, rather than choosing just any old pair at your local drugstore. Visiting NOLA high-quality sunglasses stores can help you find a stylish pair that offers the protection you need. Here are five considerations to keep in mind as you shop for sunglasses:

• UV protection: Everyone requires eye protection against UV radiation. UV rays are light that we cannot see, but they are harmful to our eyes. They are divided into two types: UVA and UVB. Your sunglasses should block both types of radiation for the best protection. When you shop, check for lenses that are tagged with an indication that they offer 100 percent protection from UVA and UVB. Another indication would be a UV 400 designation, which also covers both UVA and UVB rays.
• Tinting: Protection from sun rays goes beyond UV radiation. You also need to block brightness to reduce eye strain and avoid bleaching your receptors. Failing to choose dark tinting can impair night vision and color perception. Therefore, choose lenses that rate 75 percent or darker to ensure the right protection. However, you want to be sure the lenses offer UV protection or the dark lenses will dilate your pupils and allow more UV rays into your eyes. That defeats the purpose of sunglasses.
• Color: Lens color is not crucial to protecting eye health, so you can get creative. The most popular lens colors for sunglasses include gray, brown and green. Those colors are excellent for reducing glare without distorting colors. If you have a color vision deficiency, you will likely enjoy wearing brown sunglasses more. For the best protection against blue light, choose orange or yellow lenses. You can also use those lenses inside to reduce the glare from your mobile devices.
• Lens and frame coverage: The skin around your eyes is thin and vulnerable to sunlight and skin cancer. You are most likely to develop squamous and basal cell cancers around your eye, and can suffer sight deterioration as well. Big frames that cover as much of the eye area as possible are your best bet if you wish to reduce wrinkles or have a family history of skin cancer. So, when you are choosing frames, look toward those designs that cover the most facial real estate. You don’t have to settle for giant bug-eye style sunglasses—many designs that would appear small on your friend’s face may still offer optimal protection for you.
• Outdoor activities: If you indulge in outdoor sports like fishing or sail boating, you need to consider additional protection. Rays reflected off the water are much more powerful than rays you face directly from the sun. If you spend time on the water, you will be happier if you choose polarized lenses. Not only will they protect your eyes, but they also reduce the glare that often accompanies light reflection.

Art & Eyes is among NOLA’s high-quality sunglasses stores, and we are ready to help you choose and design your ultimate pair of sunglasses. We offer many options for stylish frames and lens colors that also offer UV protection. Currently, we are open on an appointment-only basis, so call us today to schedule your time!

Categorised in: Sunglasses