- The importance of U.V protection.
Skiing down a mountain, relaxing on a tropical beach, or biking down a dirt road can mean the difference between damaging your eyes and having a good time. Sand, wind, and dust can all irritate or scratch your eyes, resulting in permanent damage in some cases. While less abrasive, snow directs UV rays from the sun into your eyes.
Overexposure to UV rays reflected off ice and snow can cause “snow blindness,” a temporary loss of vision caused by overexposure to UV rays reflected off ice and snow. Wearing sunglasses will protect you from snow blindness and allow you to spend more time on the slopes.
Prolonged exposure to sunlight can result in cataracts, macular degeneration, and pterygium. Cataracts are caused by a clouding of the eye’s lens, resulting in blurred vision; macular degeneration is caused by deterioration of the macula in the retina, which causes the loss of central vision; and pterygium is caused by tissue growth on the eyeball. Wearing UV-protected sunglasses and prescription lenses can help protect your eyes from these conditions, keeping them healthy for longer.
- Understand the lens tint.
Understanding light exposure can help you understand the value of prescription lenses and how to choose the best colour of the lenses. It is essential to understand visible light (white light) and the two light ranges on either side of it on the electromagnetic spectrum, infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) (UV). It is also beneficial to have a general understanding of visible light transmission (VLT).
- Visible Light
Visible light, also known as white light, is a subset of the light spectrum that humans can understand. When visible light is filtered through a prism, we see a rainbow pattern that displays the visible light colour spectrum. That range starts with blue and ends with red, with yellow and green combining in the middle to form the range that we see and process most naturally.
- Blue Light
While we won’t go into detail about each type of visible light, blue light deserves special attention due to its potential for damage. We have more difficulty focusing on blue light because it scatters more easily than other visible light. Prolonged exposure causes more eye fatigue than other types of visible light.
- Ultraviolet (UV)
Beyond blue light, UV light exists in the visible light spectrum. We cannot see UV light. UV light causes skin and eye damage, which is why we wear UV-blocking sunscreen and sunglasses.
- Infrared (IR)
Infrared radiation (IR), which lies just beyond the red end of the spectrum, is also invisible and toxic to our health. Infrared radiation is created by welding and lamp work tools, and working with or near these requires prescription lenses.
- Visible Light Transmission
Some sunlight is absorbed and some is reflected when it passes through a barrier such as a window or lens. The amount of light that passes through the protective layer is calculated and represented as a percentage of total sunlight. This is known as VLT, is influenced by tinting, lens thickness, lens material, and any coatings used.
- Different types of lens coating.
- Anti-Reflective Coating
An anti-reflective coating (AR) or anti-glare coating (AG) is a multilayer coating that removes reflections from the front and back surfaces of lenses. This coating hides your lenses almost completely, allowing people to look into your eyes without seeing their reflections in your glasses. It eliminates glare caused by light refraction off your replacement lenses. Without these reflections, you can see more clearly and drive more comfortably at night.
An AR coating is especially beneficial for polycarbonate and high-index lenses, which reflect more light than standard glass or plastic lenses. This coating is also beneficial for aspheric lenses, which have flatter curves than regular lenses and thus show more reflections.
Eye care professionals recommend applying an anti-reflective coating to photochromatic lenses to ensure comfort in all lighting conditions. It improves nighttime light transmission through the lenses and reduces glare in bright sunlight.
- Scratch-Resistant Coating
Scratch-resistant eyeglass lenses are not available. Scratch-resistant coatings give lenses a harder, more scratch-resistant surface. Because it increases the durability of children’s lenses, this coating is beneficial. Most eyeglass lenses now have a scratch-resistant coating, including high-index and polycarbonate lenses.
Scratch-resistant coatings are optional in some cases, so inform your eye doctor if you want this coating for increased durability. Remember to ask about the warranty on scratch-resistant eyeglass lenses.
While a scratch-resistant coating improves the impact resistance of your glasses, it does not provide complete wear and tear protection. To keep your glasses in good condition, store them in a cushioned case and clean the lenses with a microfiber cloth when not in use. You should also be watchful of products that claim to be able to repair scratched lenses. While they can fill in scratches, they cannot remove scratches and restore the lenses’ appearance.
- UV Coating
UV rays have been linked to age-related eye conditions like cataracts and macular degeneration. UVA and UVB-blocking lenses can help protect against the harmful effects of UV radiation.
Fortunately, nearly all high-index plastic lenses and the vast majority of sunglasses offer 100 percent UV protection. For complete UV protection, CR-39 plastic lenses require an additional coating. Photochromic lenses also completely block UV rays without the use of an additional UV lens coating.
- Photochromic Treatment
When exposed to sunlight, photochromic lenses, also known as transitions, darken automatically and become clear when returned indoors. These lenses are available in a number of different materials and styles. If you don’t want to buy another pair of prescription sunglasses or if you are light sensitive, you should consider them.
Keep in mind that the ability of photochromic lenses to darken and lighten varies. Some brands are less adaptable than others. Consult with your eye doctor about your needs and options.
- Mirror Coating
When a mirror is coated on a lens, light does not reflect into the eye. It gives the outside of the lens the appearance of a mirror, but the mirror coating is not visible from the inside. Only the colour tint of the coating is visible.
These coatings are available in a wide range of colours, densities, and styles. They’re common in both prescription and non-prescription sunglasses. Mirror coatings come in solid, gradient, and double gradient options.
- How to choose the right pairs for your need
Choosing glasses frames does not have to be difficult or tragic. It can be enjoyable and will reveal your personality.
Here’s how to pick frames:
- Determine the shape of your face.
- Choose colours that complement your skin tone.
- Consider your way of life.
When you get sweaty while exercising and wearing glasses, your replacement lenses may fog up. Fogging occurs when tiny droplets formed by condensation on the lens surface are cooler than the surrounding air temperature. To prevent fogging, a permanent coating is available. This factory-applied coating prevents lens condensation and thus eliminates fogging.
Step 1: Determine the shape of your face.
Identifying your face shape is a good place to start when learning how to choose frames. The key to finding the perfect frames is to choose a pair that flatters your face shape. To determine your face shape, trace it on a mirror with a dry-erase marker.
Step 2: Choose colours that complement your skin tone.
The next step in figuring out how to choose frames is to choose colours that complement your skin tone. Finding colours that complement your skin tone does not have to be difficult. If you have a cool skin tone, go for black, grey, and blue. Warm colours like tan, pink, and red would look great with your skin tone. When you learn how to select frames, it is always easy to know which colours suit your skin.
Step 3: Think about your way of life.
Each of us spends our days differently, which is why you should consider your lifestyle before purchasing frames. If you are an athlete or work in a labour-intensive industry, such as construction, you will want to choose frames that are durable and stay in place during daily activities.