Selecting Sensational Shades

Photo Credit: Ummo

Sunglasses are one of the most prominent fashion statements a person can make. The change they provide to your appearance is immediate and dramatic. The price tage can be equally dramatic - some tinted eyewear can cost $500 per pair.

Whether your next pair of shades is found at Neiman-Marcus or at a nearby red light intersection, here's a helpful checklist to help savvy consumers select useful features and avoid worthless add-ons.

Here's the first bright idea. No matter what style shaded interest you make sure the lenses offer 100% UVA/UVB protection. UV rays can damage nearly every structure inside the eye as well as the eyelid skin. Ultraviolet is invisible so the degree of tinting makes no difference (in fact, clear spectacle lenses ought to be 100% UVA/UVB safe as well!) Quality eyewear sold by the leading manufacturers usually offer full UV protection.

Lens durability is just as important. For those who wear their shades while engaged in vigorous physical activity (volleyball, water skiing, weed edging) should look for polycarbonate lenses. This sturdy lightweight material is extremely shatter resistant.

Don't get hung-up on designer labels. Hugo Boss does not make sunglasses. Calvin Klein does not make sunglasses, instead they sell sunglasses with the 'CK' stamped on them! Truth be told, there is a relatively small number of eyewear frame fabricators who license the designers' names in order to market their product line. The designers themselves would advise you to choose quality, the ultimate value.

Photo Credit: Yu-Chi Lee

Are frames getting bigger or does everyone just look more like Spiderman? Be careful when buying large, wraparound sunglass frames if you need prescription lenses. Some lens designs will not fit these trendy curved frames - check with your optician beforehand.

Pay extra for Polarization? By eliminating harsh rays from the horizontal plane you can reduce glare and the intensity of sunlight. Drivers and boaters will immediately notice the difference.

Turn down the intensity. Neutral density lenses can be clear or grey and they absorb lots of visible light to make the great outdoors more tolerable on bright, sunny days. Pilots have relied on 'ND' lenses for years. This option is expensive but many discover the comfort justifies the added cost.

Photo Credit: Paolo Tonon

How dark do you go? Tinted lenses filter (absorb) very little visible light; tints mostly alter the wearer's color perception. This can be extremely subjective. I suggest you conduct the parking lot test with every new sunglass purchase. Once you've found a pair you like, ask the merchant if you can step outside into the parking lot. The real-world lighting conditions are very different than the artificially illuminated environment inside the store. It's outside where you can really decide if you like what you see.

If color perception is important to you try a G-15 tint, another favorite of aviators.

Don't want two pair of glasses? Consider photochromic lenses that darken when you go outdoors. Ask the optician to try a trial pair before making the investment. Time how long it takes for the lenses to revert when entering/exiting a building...should be seconds, not minutes.

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Ellis

Save your money! Antireflective coatings aren't relevant to sunglasses. The coating spares observers from seeing lights reflecting off of your eyewear. You, the wearer, appreciate nothing but the added expense. TV personalities use antireflective coatings on their eyeglasses to eliminate studio light reflections.

Save more money! The eyewear business is extremely competitive. Look for package deals that include the eye exam and a new refraction. Some retailers offer free prescription sunglasses when you but a pair of regular spectacles. Does the merchant offer insurance against loss or damage? Do your homework and save your cash for your next trip to the beach to show off those fabulous new shades!

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Tips for Choosing Sunglasses
• WebMD Video: Kids and Sunglasses

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