Sunglasses – Why do we need them ?

My little friend Sully here knows how important sunglasses are, he won’t ever be caught out in the sun without them. Sunglasses are no longer just a summer thing, they are needed year round. The winter may be cold and snowy but the sun still shines. Living in the great white north we have all experienced those beautiful high pressure days where it’s cold and bright, where the glare from the sun off the snow can actually be painful. So we not only wear sunglasses to feel the soothing effects but we also need the protection from UV rays that are harmful to the eyes and are known to contribute to cataract formation over time. We create sunglasses 2 different ways, tinted or polarized. Tinted lenses are simply clear lenses tinted dark to reduce the amount of light transmitted whereas polarization uses an optical filter that absorbs one component of light and transmits the other. By doing this, reflected light is eliminated and that uncomfortable glare is greatly reduced. Fishermen made polarization well known as it allowed them to see fish clearly below the surface by blocking that unwanted glare off the top of the water.

Do you ever notice when your outside in the direct sunlight you often use your cupped hand as a shield to stop the light from above even when your wearing sunglasses ? That’s because sunlight is ALL around. It doesn’t just come in from the front, it comes in from behind and above. Wearing a hat in addition to your sunglasses is the ultimate as it blocks sun from the top. The best quality sunglasses will also have an Anti-glare coating on the back of the lens. This will eliminate sunlight coming from behind being reflected back into your eyes.

The last thing I want to mention is that ….YES ! there is a Huge difference between good quality and poor quality sunglasses. Many poor quality sunglasses DON’T have UV protection. Most poor quality sunglasses are NOT polarized and are NOT scratch resistant. Another little known fact about low quality sunglasses is that the lenses are often so thin that over time they will actually warp and that will create distortion when looking through them. Finally, sunglasses look great ! So why not look good while protecting and soothing your eyes. Yes good quality sunglasses cost more, of course they do. Ever heard the saying : “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten”.  read it again…….slowly.

 

Jeff

P.S. Yes that’s my dog “Sully”