Many people believe that an ordinary pair sunglasses are nothing more than a simple fashion piece, when the reality is that sunglasses are a critical accessory to have for anyone who likes to be outdoors.
Sunglasses do more than just enhance your overall look. First and foremost, they shield your eyes from the harmful UV rays of the sun that can lead to headaches, cataracts, or even cancer. They also reduce the glare of the sun that can harm your vision and are actually dangerous while driving a vehicle.
Finally, sunglasses provide a physical barrier between your eyes and the outside environment. They can protect your eyes from dirt, dust, particles, and other debris that could inflict damage.
In essence, a high quality pair of sunglasses preserves the health of your eyes when you are outdoors under the sun. But that being said, not all sunglasses are created equally. Some are definitely higher quality than others, which is why it is extremely important that you know exactly what to look for. Fortunately, this article will help you with that.
Here are the top five features to look for in a new pair of sunglasses:
1. Protection From Ultraviolet Rays
If the pair of sunglasses you are currently look at do not block out at least 99% of ultraviolet rays, then immediately put them down and start looking elsewhere. It cannot be overstated how important it is to select a pair of sunglasses that can do an adequate job of shielding you from UV rays. In fact, the whole point to owning sunglasses is arguably ruined by not buying a pair with adequate UV protection.
Ultraviolet rays are extremely damaging to your eyes when they are exposed for an extended period of time. Not only do they harm your actual eyes, but they can damage the skin around your eyes as well. Therefore, investing in a pair of sunglasses with excellent UV protection would be the wise thing to do.
2. Polarized Lenses
Next, look for a pair of sunglasses with polarized lenses. Polarized lenses are lenses that keep glare down from any surfaces that would reflect the sunlight, such as glass, ice, snow, and water.
They stand in stark contrast to tinted sunglasses and also allow you to have clearer vision while you’re wearing them.
3. Polycarbonate Lenses
Not only do you want polarized lenses, but you’ll want polycarbonate lenses as well. The reason why is because polycarbonate lenses are much more durable in contrast to other materials of lenses. Furthermore, if they do break, they will not shatter into millions of little pieces that could inflict significant damage on your eyes.
4. Good Looks
Yes, even though fashion is not the primary purpose to wearing sunglasses, you still want to buy a pair that look good on you, right? While what looks good is entirely up to you, one critical suggestion is to avoid buying sunglasses that are excessively large. Large sunglasses will put a surprisingly large amount of stress on your nose and your ears, so wearing smaller or lighter sunglasses will help to reduce much of this stress.
5. Titanium Frame Build
Last but certainly not least, try to select sunglasses with a titanium frame. Titanium is extremely durable so it won’t put too much stress on your nose and ears like we just discussed, and yet it is extremely durable and shatter resistant. It’s also very corrosion resistant, and will therefore last you longer than other types of sunglasses with a lesser quality frame.
Buying The Right Sunglasses For You
Sunglasses have existed for hundreds of years, far longer than you may have guessed, and they provide us with an important number of benefits that are why we continue to use them today. You have a nearly infinite number of options before you when choosing a pair of sunglasses, but you can narrow your selection significantly simply by knowing which exact qualities you need to look for.
This article has taught you exactly what you need to look for, so the next time you go shopping you can select a pair of sunglasses that will work the very best for you.