Sun Sense

Sunglasses have three purposes: protecting the eyes, increased visual comfort, and improved visibility.

Protection:

Sunglasses protect the eyes by blocking harmful light and ultra violet rays. Although the eye depends on light to see, wavelengths below the color blue (ultraviolet light or UV) on the color spectrum can harm the unprotected eye. There are two types of ultra violet light. UVA are the light rays that “age” eye tissues and skin. They contribute to wrinkling and cataracts. They are closer to visible light than UVB. UVB rays are the “burning “ rays that cause skin cancer, degenerate the macula, burn the cornea, and cause photokeratitis. Lenses can be treated to filter out both types of UV rays. Sunglasses that are not treated to block UV light may actually be detrimental to the eyes. Dark lenses reduce light entering the eye, causing the pupil to dilate and exposing the inside of the eye to more UV radiation than without sunglasses.

Comfort:

Sunglasses reduce glare and brightness, whether from the sun directly or from water, snow, sand or reflective surfaces. Glare can be painful and dangerously distracting while driving, playing sports or just enjoying the outdoors. For comfortable vision on sunny days, sunglasses should block 75 to 90 percent of visible light. Sunglasses will eliminate eye strain and squinting when in bright light.

Vision:

Sunglasses improve vision by enhancing contrast in hazy or overcast conditions or full sun conditions.

Lens Treatments:

All sun lens packages offered at Eye Looks Optical meet the industry’s standards of UV protection. You may select from shades and tints that meet your personal needs, and special treatments like polarization and photochromic lenses. The shade and color of sunglass lenses has no effect on their ability to block UV light-UV coating is a separate treatment. Eye Looks Optical also has the ability to verify your present sunwear to make sure you have adequate UV protection.

Different tints filter different wavelengths of light. Some may enhance or distort colors and affect contrast. Our educated staff of opticians will help you select your tint based on:

• Your lifestyle and personal needs.
• Gray-Allows true color perception, but does not enhance contrast.
• Green-Allow true color perception and good contrast in bright light.
• Brown-Good in hazy sun, enhances contrast.
• Amber-Brightens cloudy, hazy, or foggy skies. Excellent for contrast.
• Yellow-Improves contrast and depth perception in low light.
• Red-Excellent depth perception in low light. Contrasts objects against blue or green backgrounds.
• Mirrored-Reflect high-intensity light to reduce glare.

Polarization:

Polarized lenses are the ultimate sun lenses, blocking glare by absorbing light from scattered angles. Polarized filters are added to the lenses during the manufacturing process. Polarization is a separate feature from shade or tint, various colors filter out different light.

Photochromics:

Photochromic lenses are sensitive to light. They darken within 30 seconds of exposure to bright outdoor light. Once out of sun, they lighten in about five minutes. They provide some freedom from switching from prescription glasses and prescription sunglasses. All changeable lenses only react to the outdoor light, so in a vehicle the lens will not change in an enclosed vehicle. For individuals who are moving from indoors to outdoors frequently during their day, they are a nice alternative lens choice.