Tips for choosing quality sunglasses
It is not necessary to overpay for glass lenses, modern plastic is in no way inferior to them in terms of protection, and sometimes even surpasses them. In addition, it is more lightweight and practical.
Before buying, read the product passport, which indicates its most important characteristics, such as the degree of protection against ultraviolet radiation and light transmission.
Points should be selected in a specialized store, guided by the principle of "health is more expensive." Remember that dubious savings can lead to vision damage, burns to the retina, and even cataracts.
When choosing a color, keep in mind that neutral shades are more comfortable for the eyes. Experts advise wearing brown lenses with nearsightedness, and gray or green with farsightedness .
Large glass lenses provide better protection for both the eyes themselves and the skin around them. And if the glasses are also with wide arms, then you are not afraid of lateral solar radiation. This is true for drivers, as well as when relaxing in the south.
Frame and lens material: glass or plastic
Lenses can be of two types: glass and plastic.
Among the advantages of plastic made of acrylic or polycarbonate are:
- ease;
- resistance to falls from a height;
- full protection against ultraviolet radiation;
- convenience for sports.
- fragility;
- it is quite heavy;
- may cause injury;
- covered with a layer of moisture at temperature extremes.
Important! It is better for motorists to choose plastic lenses with which the risk of injury in the moment of an accident will be minimal.
The material for the frame is not fundamental. Plastic has lightness, it is strong and durable.
It is better to choose steel from metal ones, having examined beforehand whether there are any cracks on the glass in the places of fastening to the frame due to the constriction.
The quality of the frame is easy to check:
- slightly bend the model in your hands (a good one will not deform and will not break);
- open and fold the arms a few times;
- make sure screw connections are tight.
Color and Dimming Level
The intensity of the darkening of the lenses is not an indicator of the level of protection from the sun. A high-quality transparent lens can almost completely protect your eyes from ultraviolet radiation, having a special coating.
It is believed that without a special filter, a large blackout only hurts the eyes. Indeed, in the dark there is a reflex expansion of the pupil, and harmful radiation just rushes into the eye.
Advice! You can check the correspondence of the darkened lenses to your vision by looking at the sun. If your eyes are comfortable, then you will not squint.
It is known:
- gray or green lenses do not distort colors and are suitable for any weather;
- golden yellow - hide blue, comfortable on cloudy days;
- polarized type - do not let in bright radiation even in direct sunlight;
- mirror - effectively reflect light rays in the highlands;
- photochromic ("chameleons") - change color depending on the light and are good in any weather;
- graduated version - only half darkened, can be worn everywhere, including drivers.
Important! The color of the glass should be uniform. If the top of the glass is darkened more, then protection from harmful rays will not be effective enough.
Radiation protection
This factor is indicated by the manufacturer in the product passport. According to a single system, five degrees of protection are distinguished:
- Minimum - is designated as “0” (80% or more light rays pass through the filter).
- Medium - the coefficients 1 (43–80% of the world) and 2 (18–43% of the world) are typical for it.
- The third level has protective filters with a throughput of up to 18% (recommended on vacations by the sea, in nature, during city walks on clear days).
- The fourth level - allows only 8% of radiation to pass through (excellent choice for a trip to Thailand).
Polarization coating
Opticians usually recommend sun glasses to both men and women, as well as sunbathers on the beach . In this case, it is important that the polarizing filter in the form of a special coating of lenses be of high quality and fully block all possible glare reflections.
Checking polarized glasses upon purchase
There are three ways to do this:
- Hologram (each seller has this three-dimensional three-dimensional image and is almost indistinguishable without glasses).
- Using a smartphone (as in the picture below).
- On a two-in-one basis . They put on some glasses, and the second ones of the same model are brought to them by 10-15 cm and slowly rotated 90 degrees. Glasses should become completely dark, if they remain partly transparent, then the polarizing filter on one of them is of poor quality.
Photochromic coating
This layer distinguishes "chameleons" from other sun-protection lenses. Their big plus is that the pass of the light beam depends on the degree of illumination at the moment. This feature is used by motorists when driving at night.
The fact is that the light incident on the photochromic coating makes the glass dark, while in the dark they are completely transparent.
Choosing sunglasses to face
Both women and men certainly want to have glasses in their arsenal that will suit them. In this regard, the recommendations for a strong and beautiful half of humanity are quite similar:
- Broad-faced - it is better to abandon the frame that protrudes beyond the side lines of the face.
- Narrow-faced - visually slightly expand the cheekbones of the rim protruding in the temporal region.
- Rhinestone trim is not for people with thin lips.
- Do not wear rimless glasses for those with large lips and nose.
How to distinguish quality glasses from counterfeit?
It is pretty simple. A branded product has a number of characteristic features:
- The passport of the product indicates the degree of protection against ultraviolet radiation and the dimming coefficient.
- Brand designation must certainly be on the glass and on the inner surface of the bow.
- Lenses do not distort surrounding objects.
- The darkness of the glasses is uniform.
- The frame screws tightly tighten.
- A case is attached to the glasses.
Thus, high-quality sunglasses, as a rule, can only be bought at a company store and are unlikely to be very cheap. But it is worth taking a closer look at those products that are sold in pharmacies and kiosks. The main thing is to know the basic principles of choosing a suitable model.
