Interested in prescription sunglasses? Excited about getting a pair? We’ll you’re in luck, as the following will be your guide to understanding these stylish and practical shades.
You already know that sunglasses are designed to reduce glare from the sun. You also know that prescription lenses are designed to enhance the vision of people with visual impairments (such as being near-sighted).
As you might have guessed, prescription sunglasses combine the features of both. This allows people who usually wear spectacles to assist with their vision to enjoy a pair of shades without sacrificing their ability to see.
Previously, many people were forced to wear a pair of shades over their spectacles to maintain clear eyesight while outdoors on a sunny day. Now, they can enjoy the convenience of having a single pair of outdoor shades that perform a dual function.
The benefits of prescription sunglasses
There are many obvious and not-so-obvious benefits to prescription sunglasses. When it comes to correcting your vision outdoors, there’s simply nothing that compares to them.
It’s no secret that glare from the sun can impair your vision as well as give you a headache from forcing you to strain your eyes. This is why many people choose to wear shades when they drive on a bright day, as it gives them better vision, allowing them to operate their vehicle more safely.
Most people who want to get the best protection for their eyes will get shades that are polarised. Luckily, you can get prescription sunglasses that are polarised, allowing you to enjoy unobfuscated and protected vision anytime, anywhere.
There are various tints you can select for your lenses, allowing you to get the exact hue that you want. The special lenses will work to filter out reflections that come from surfaces like cars, sand, and water.
If you are someone who usually wears contact lenses with shades over them while outdoors, prescriptions sunglasses will be superior to this. They will allow you to remove your contacts when they begin to feel uncomfortable or dry while outdoors, and you will not lose any of your vision.
Many people wear contacts because they don’t like how they look in spectacles. Since people without visual impairments will wear shades (for minimising glare as well as fashion), prescription sunglasses will not look like you are wearing spectacles. At the same time, they will still give you the benefits of lenses suited to your eyes.
Choose your lens
You can get prescription sunglasses for any kind of lens you need, including progressive lenses. The options you have are really limitless, so you should not hesitate to start exploring your options regarding this highly convenient product.
There are a wide array of materials available for the construction of your prescription sunglasses. These include Tivex, polycarbonate, glass and high-index plastic. However, glass is much less common as a material for lenses nowadays due to its weight and fragility compared to other materials – but it is still possible to get them if you desire.
Another option is lenses that use a photochromic tint. This tint changes dynamically in reaction to changing levels of sun exposure.
You should know, however, that not all photochromic lenses will darken behind the windscreen of most cars. If you particularly want prescription sunglasses that are best for use while driving, then you need to disclaim this so that you get the right photochromic tint.
Protection from UV rays
While a lot of people enjoy shades for the style benefits that they have, protection from harmful UV rays needs to be a priority. When you buy prescription sunglasses, you should make sure that the lenses are going to completely block out UV light.
The level of UV protection you get will not be related to the density or colour of the tint on the lenses. This means that you have the freedom to choose any lens opacity and colour that you prefer, as long as you are sure that you will be getting total UV protection.
Style
Naturally, your prescription sunglasses are going to be a fashion accessory as well as a tool to improve your vision. With this in mind, you will no doubt want to choose a style of frame and colour/material that you feel is most flattering to your face, and that matches with your general fashion sense.
Different face types generally suit different shapes of frames, but there is no hard rule you need to follow. The freedom is yours to choose any style you want, but if you are unsure, then there are plenty of online resources out there that you can consult.
How much will you spend?
Of course, prescription sunglasses represent a significant investment and are not something you would buy on a whim. With that said, they are incredibly beneficial, and you will get a lot of use out of them.
The money that you will be spending can be really worth it if you are able to enjoy your time outside the home more with your new shades. Being able to confidently drive, go to the beach, go on a fishing trip, or anything else with prescription sunglasses will make the asking price well worth it.
As you can see, there’s plenty to think about when it comes to purchasing a pair of prescription sunglasses. Hopefully, the guide above helps you in understanding your options.
