SunGlass Information
Archive for the ‘Discount Eyewear’ Category
Macular Degeneration - A big name for a big problem
As we continue reduce the ozone layer the effects of UV rays on the mucus membranes continue to increase. Our parents didn’t think about SPF clothing or Sunscreen, they went out with oil in the hottest part of the day without another thought. People during thier time contracted Cancer and they’re deaths were described as “consumption” . The first sunglasses did little to protect the wearer and were more designed for fashion. And Sunscreen was not even a consideration.
Times have changed and now we know that UV rays can cause irreversible damage to both the skin and eyes. And we now have the technology to protect both. Experts suggest that we use Sunscreen with at least a SPF (sun protection factor) of 35 or more. And it has been proven that sunglasses without UV protection can lead to Macular Degeneration. So it is important to pick Sunglasses that have 100% AVA and AVB protection.
The hottest brands like Oakley and Maui Jim make some of the best designer sunglasses for women, however, these sunglasses come with an enormous price tag. It’s unreasonable to spend two or even three hundred dollars on a pair of sunglasses, so instead of opting for one of the high end designer brands, check out Angel eyewear. While Angel is a less renowned brand when compared to a name like Oakley or Maui Jim, the sunglasses often have a similar look and also have the polarized lenses that make them worth the money.
Angel eyewear provides great value, and is still amongst the best in both fashion and function. While not available from many designer sunglasses retailers (due to the inexpensive price relative to more renowned brands), Angel eyewear is available at several locations online. Get a new set of Angel sunglasses now and be prepared for the heart of summer when the sun’s rays are sure to be shining!
A girlfriend of mine always wears Gucci or Prada Sunglasses and I thought they looked hot but when I tried to get some I found that I had two choices either pay a fortune or buy cheap knock offs. I really couldn’t afford the real thing but the knock offs didn’t offer UV protection. So I started looking for glasses that looked stylish, offered the protection I need and were affordable.
As I searched the internet I found quality sunglasses at a fraction of the price of the top designer brands. Some of them only make glasses for women!
Actually you have three choices when it comes to lens composition: Glass, Plastic or Polycarbonate. All have advantages and disadvantages we will discuss each so you can determine which is best for you.
Glass lenses provide the best scratch resistance and highest optical clarity. They are, however, 2-3 times as heavy as plastic or polycarbonate lenses and, while they are tempered for impact resistance, can shatter or break if struck by an object. These types of lenses are suitable for people who value durability and clarity but are not great for people involved in high speed sports or activities where something could strike your lenses or face.
Plastic lenses are significantly lighter than glass lenses, and thus, may be more comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. Also, while not shatterproof, these lenses are also more shatter resistant than glass. Disadvantages include average optical clarity and less scratch resistance. These types of lenses are great for customers looking for a lightweight, affordable pair of sunglasses.
Polycarbonate lenses are shatterproof and extremely lightweight. Their primary drawback is that the material is very soft and is the least scratch resistant material used. These lenses are great for active people involved in sports. Because they are lightweight they will stay put when moving around. The shatterproof lenses will also provide protection from not only UV rays, but also impact from objects or in case of an accident or a fall.
In this two-part Blog, I will discuss the three main ways that non-metal sunglass frames are made. In this part I will discuss the first two types Injection Molding and Advanced Materials. In the next part will be devoted to explaining Hand-Made frames.
The least expensive method is made by Injecting a mold created from aluminum or highly polished stainless steel with liquid plastic. This material is petroleum-based products that begins in bead form. To add color, they are spray-painted and then glass coated and tumbled for shine.
Recently materials like Grilamid TR-90 have been developed to answer the need for lightweight and durable frames that offer optical quality not typically associated with typical injection plastics. This new technology has made it possible to make great looking frames that can, in many cases accommodate prescription lenses. A new material, Grilamid TR-90, is a Swiss Nylon Polymer that is melted and then poured into optical quality stainless steel molds. fronts and temples are produced separately. Once removed from the molds, they are hand polished and assembled before the lenses are fitted. The temple tips and nose pieces of many Grilamid TR-90 frames are made from optical grade rubber to add comfort and prevent slippage during strenuous activity. The end result is a frame that is lightweight, yet extremely durable and flexible.
The Age of Polarization
While strolling down Broadway in 1926, Edwin Herbert Land was blinded by the headlights of an oncoming automobile. It occurred to him that there must be away to develop a polarizing sheet that would reduce glare from light. He was attending Harvard University as a freshman when he first had his revelation about the polarizing process. He left Harvard and moved to New York, working secretly at night in a laboratory at Columbia University. In 1929 Land returned to Harvard, this time with his wife, Helen. Although Land would never graduate, he had already developed the first synthetic sheet polarizer by trapping tiny crystals in a thin sheet. By 1932 the sheet was actually being produced and would be used to make camera lens filters and polarizing sunglasses that cut glare from the sun. With the backing of Wall Street tycoons James P.Warburg, Averell Harriman (1891-1986) and Lewis Strauss, Land founded the Polaroid Corporation in 1937. One of the company’s first projects was to persuade Detroit’s automobile industry to install polarizing sheets in the headlamps and windshields of all its vehicles. Although Land was never able to sell his ideas to automobile manufacturers, he went on to discover many more uses for his invention.
By the 1940s, the Polaroid Corporation was making its contribution to the United States war effort. Servicemen who fought in World War II reaped the benefits of Land’s inventions that resulted in polarizers for rangefinders and . The development of infrared viewers also aided night vision. By 1945 the Polaroid Corporation received millions of dollars in government contracts to develop military optics, and sales increased from the original $142,000 to $17 million.
When asked what sunglass qualities where important for Bowfishing Robert Grider, O.D. wrote this article that first appeared on Bowhunting.com.
#1 Polarization
Sunglasses must use true polarized lenses to remove the glare which hinders our ability to see into the water. Most polarized sunglasses are marked, if it is not clearly stated then they are probably not polarized. Please realize that like most things in life, there are different qualities of polarization and the more expensive the lenses the more likely they are of higher quality.
#2 Quality Optics
Try to make sure the sunglass lenses optics are of decent quality. I have seen countless cases where people present to my office complaining of headaches only to find that the poor optics of their sunglasses are the source of the problem. To test your glasses you can hold the glasses up several inches from your face while viewing a consistent grid like a sheet of graph paper and by turning the lenses slightly and moving the glasses slowly back and forth and up-down while looking for areas of curved lines and/or distortion of the distant pattern. Please understand that many of today’s wrap-around type of sunglasses will have at least some distortion in the very extreme side or periphery of the lenses this is unavoidable but you would like this to be as minimal as possible.
#3 Lens Tint
I am often asked which color sunglasses work best for bowfishing and to be honest, there is no single best color for every person and every shooting situation. Gray lenses tend to alter the color vision spectrum the least in relation to the human eye and make for a good all-around pair of sunglasses that might be used for other activities as well. (see Selecting the Correct Tint Blog)
#4 Ultra violet ray protection
Make sure the sunglasses you purchase have the ability to absorb 100% of the sun’s harmful ultra violet rays. Remember while on the water you are actually getting a double dose of UV, those rays directly from the sun and those rays that are bouncing off the waters surface. Significant exposure to UV rays has been shown to cause the serious eye damage such as development of cataracts and Age-Related Macular Degeneration which happens to be the leading cause of blindness for those over 65 years old.
#5 Glass or plastic lenses and a word on cost.
In general, plastic lenses (polycarbonate lenses) scratch more easily than glass lenses but they tend to weigh half as much as glass and are much more shatter resistant than glass lenses making them safer if used around flying objects (think snap-back of an arrow). Many plastic lenses will have a scratch resistant coating with the more expensive plastic lenses having a better scratch resistant coating. Both plastic and glass can offer exceptional optics however and when you figure in the safety factor plastic comes out ahead.
When it comes to costs you don’t have to spend $200-$300 for a pair of Maui Jims in order to get a good pair of sunglasses with quality optics. These brands often have a tremendous amount of price mark up and the optics and polarization are pretty much the same in a much less expensive pair of Gargoyles or Coyote Sunglasses. The law of diminishing returns often applies to the price of sunglasses.
And finally, remember that after your bow and arrow, your polarized sunglasses are the next most important piece of gear when it comes to daytime bowfishing, so choose with care.
If you’re getting older (like me) you may have noticed Polarized Reading Glasses popping up everywhere. These glasses have a small magnified lens on the bottom of the lens. Some have the polarized film over the entire lens others polarize the non-magnified portion only. Are they for you?
Since I’ve been wearing readers for about three months now, I wanted to review the benefits and disadvantages of using them. First let’s start off with the cons. During my first few days the maginfied potion was distracting when not in use. Along with this they do not have the same field of vision that normal sunglasses provide.
As for the pros, the first benefit is convenience it is wonderful not to have to always have two pairs of glasses (I can never find my reading glasses). After your eyes are trained it’s easy to go from reading to normal viewing they are quite comfortable. Another benefit is stealth, they look like regular sunglasses so people don’t know your using reading glasses. Also by combining your purchase they will also save money.
Do these look good on me? Choosing your Frames
Since I buy just about everything on-line, I wanted to find a good way to find out which Fashion Sunglasses would look good on before I ordered my next pair. These are a few gidelines that I hope will help you I’ve broken them down by face shapes.
Round face
A round shaped face needs straight lines to counteract the curves so look out for rectangular or square frames.
If you have a large face then you can pull of the large, bold sunglasses that gives you the A-List celebrity look. Best to avoid round sunglasses as this will exaggerate the curves and the frames should be wider than they are deep.
Heart shaped face
If you have a heart shaped face, beware of too-wide sunglasses that will make chins look pointy, but you can probably get away with more styles than most. The best style we have found for this face shape is the aviator.
Oval face
This is the wear-what-you-like face shape so pretty much anything goes. This face shape has the most balanced proportions allowing you to play with the styles! Find your favourite sunglasses and you will look great.
Small face
It can be hard to find sunglasses that work if you have a small face. If you are not a confident person and adventurous with your style, then we have a nice selection of sunglasses for you.
If you do have a small face, you can still wear oversized sunglasses. Stay clear of thick frames if you don’t want to draw attention to yourself too much.
Long face
With a long face it is best to wear a rectangular frame to add width and help balance out the length of your face. A low bridge on the sunglasses may also help shorten the length of your nose.
Square face
Square faces can look best with rounded sunglasses, or curved sunglasses. Angular sunglasses may emphasise a square jaw. There are plenty of quality, fashionable sunglasses for you to choose from.
Triangle face
A triangular shaped face will have a wide forehead, but small chin and rimless sunglasses can really work well and look good. You may wish to select frames that are winder at the bottom.
I hope this helps you!
When shopping for sunglasses for fishing, you are primarily looking for complete protection from the sun’s radiation. Maximum protection from UVA, UVB and UVC light is highly desirable. Additionally, you should be wearing polarized sunglasses to block glare and see through water.Remember sometimes “cheap” polarized glasses can harm your vision by allowing more of the suns harmful rays to enter your eyes than you would normally receive without any protection so buy from reputable company. Since you will be right on the water, you will be fielding rays not only from above, but also bouncing right back up at you off the water’s surface. In such an intense light environment, your eyes need to feel relaxed and free from eyestrain because you will be wearing your sunglasses for long periods of time. You may want to consider lighter polycarbonate lenses to reduce the overall weight of your glasses as well. Those are the “must haves” that you should not compromise.