Be it any season, all of us look for efficiency as well as style. Be it our clothes or be it our accessories, we want the best of both worlds. Sunglasses, however, is something that most of us buy without researching about. We buy what we like, but forget the sole purpose for which sunglasses were designed – to protect our eyes from the sun. We neglect their efficiency and buy them for their appearance, which can, in extreme cases, end up giving us various eye problems. So here are 4 tips to keep in mind while buying sunglasses so that your next pair can be stylish as well as protective for your eyes.
1. UV protection
The sun emits strong Ultra Violet Radiation or UV radiation which is neither visible nor tangible. Small amounts of exposure to the sun rays provide our body with the necessary Vitamin D but when we are in the sun for a long duration of time, it can cause sunburn or even cancer (extreme cases). Long periods of contact with the UV rays can cause cataracts in our eyes, destroy our retina and even cause tissue to grow over our eyeballs. Sunglasses with a high percentage of UV protection should be chosen as they can prevent these eye problems from happening and also help keep our eyes healthy.
2. Polarized Glasses
For the people who indulge in a lot of outdoor activities like driving long hours or are involved in outdoor sports require polarized glasses. These glasses are specially designed to prevent your eyes from glare. When light reflects, the light rays enter your eyes and cause visual discomfort or even impair vision temporarily and this light is called glare.
3. Different levels of eye sensitivity
Just like skin, everyone’s eyes’ sensitivity is different. Some people have very sensitive eyes which require more protection and care and people who have eyes which are a lighter color require more UV protection than others. Since sunglasses protect your eyes from both UV rays and dust and debris, it’s important to invest in a good pair.
4. Lens Tint
A common misconception related to sunglasses is that the darker the colour of the lens, the more UV protection it will provide. This, however, is very untrue. The colour of the lens is subjective and is also particular to the sort of activity that you intend to wear sunglasses during. Different coloured lenses are suitable for different situations. Dark, copper or brown lenses for the beach or just a sunny day in general, yellow or orange lenses in areas like ski slopes where an increase in contrast is necessary or rose or amber lenses on a cloudy day.
Just keep these tips in mind before buying a new pair of sunglasses and with a little maintenance, it will last you a long time!
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