If you plan a fun day out and want to enjoy a sunny day by going for a picnic or at the beach, you must invest in a quality pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes. Sunglasses have made our life quite convenient over the years. They are stylish and comfortable, and they offer critical protection from the sun's damaging UV rays. Overexposure to the sun's rays can damage your eyes' surface and increase the risk of contracting eye diseases.
Optometrists suggest wearing sunglasses and a hat whenever you have to step out, especially if you live in a tropical country or on a high elevation. The best thing is that you don't have to shell out much money on quality sunglasses. When buying sunglasses we suggest that you look at online stores for the best deals and premium quality. When looking for the best sunglasses for eye protection, you must remember that a high price doesn't always guarantee good quality. Hence, when choosing the perfect pair of sunglasses, it can be overwhelming or confusing if you don't understand optical terms for lenses. Also, you will have to be aware of what to look for when searching for sunglasses; primarily, looking for a pair that will suit you the best.
To make shopping for sunglasses easy, we have a list of ten factors you need to know before buying sunglasses online. This list will help you pick the perfect pair!
The Ten Factors To Look For When Buying Sunglasses Online
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UV Protection
Firstly, you must remember not to get overwhelmed with cost and colour because they are the first components customers look at before purchasing eyewear. The UV blocking capacity does not rely on price, colour, or lens darkness. Once lenses (glass or plastic) absorb the UV rays, The UV immersion is enhanced by adding specific chemicals to the lens' materials. This is done during the production process or the lens coating process. Look for sunglasses that will block 99 to 100 percent UV rays. You will have to look at labels that offer UV absorption up to 400nm. Additionally, check the tag or sticker, which will specify how much protection the lenses provide or ask your eye care specialist. UV protection is the first and most crucial factor that you must look into when buying sunglasses.
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Blocking Enough Light
When looking for effective lenses along with durable sunglass frames, look for ones that can block enough light. A pair of sunglasses should typically screen 75 to 90 percent of visible light. If you want to determine whether sunglasses are dark enough, wear them in front of a mirror. If you can see your eyes through the lenses, then the sunglasses are not dark enough.
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Choosing Oversized Sunglasses
The more coverage you can get from your UV protection sunglasses, the better! So, when purchasing sunglasses, look for wraparound style sunglasses or oversized ones. They help minimize the number of UV rays that enter the eyes. Before buying oversized sunglasses, don't forget to keep comfort in mind. A good fit is also important because you will be wearing them for long hours, in the sun. You can learn more about choosing the right fit by referring to our glasses size guide.
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Lens Quality
Lens quality is another critical factor that you must look into when looking for sunglasses. The tint and quality are essential, so it's best that you look for a uniform tint on your lenses rather than a dark one. Hold the pair at arm's length, straight line, and look through the lenses at a distance to check for any imperfections. Slowly move the glasses across the line; if the lens is not perfect, the straight edge will curve, distort, move, and sway. As mentioned before, you must continually invest in good quality sunglasses rather than cheap ones. Cheap sunglasses don't protect you from UV rays and can cause significant harm to your eyes, and it's as good as not wearing any sunglasses at all.
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Lens Colour
There are many lens colours available in the market, from solid tints to gradients in colours like grey, green, or brown. Even though the lens colour doesn't play a massive role in UV protection, it can help with visual contrast. Some colours can enhance contrast and they can be helpful for athletes and players who engage in sports like swimming, baseball, or golf.
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Wraparound Style Sunglasses
Wraparound sunglasses provide extra protection. They are sunglasses that wrap around your temples, which will help prevent the rays from entering both sides of your head. Studies have shown that a sufficient amount of UV rays comes through standard frames, decreasing the protective advantages of lenses.
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Cost
It's not always true that expensive sunglasses are the best ones. Some shades will be affordable and will provide you with features just as good as the expensive ones. However, always look at your options and never settle for cheap sunglasses that offer no UV protection because they can harm your eyes. You can look for premium quality UV protection sunglasses at an affordable rate when shopping from online stores. They will have various offers and discounts on popular brands, as well.
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Frame Styles
Sunglasses can be worn not just for protection, but they are pretty popular as a stylish accessory. They help elevate your outfit and add an emphasis to your fashion statement. While it's essential for UV protection, you will also want a pair that looks good on you and makes you feel confident. It's best to consider your face shape before deciding on a frame and lenses. Here is a guide on the various face types and the frames that will suit them:
- Heart-shaped face: This shape has a narrow jawline and looks excellent with square retro or cat eyeglasses
- Round shaped face: This face shape has wide cheekbones and can carry off the cat-eye, square, retro angular, and rectangular frames
- Oval Shaped face: This face shape is long and not wide, retro style, oversized, and top-heavy frames look good with this shape
- Square shape: Round and aviator shaped frames look amazing on this face shape
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Impact Resistant
Most sunglasses come with impact resistance. Sunglasses that have glass lenses can shatter on impact compared to plastic lenses. Additionally, you may want to purchase polycarbonate lenses when shopping for sunglasses. This is because they are more impact-resistant than regular plastic ones. If you decide on polycarbonate lenses, pair them with scratch-resistant sunglasses.
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Brand
When buying sunglasses online, you will find that certain brands are more popular than others. If a brand has been in business for a long time, then they have built goodwill among their customer base. This makes the brand trustworthy and establishes a good reputation for them. Rest assured, their products will be of good quality, timeless, durable, and well-liked. The brand does play a vital role in deciding whether you want to invest in sunglasses or not. This is because customers want to buy sunglasses that feel good and will last them a long time, and a good brand provides them with these features. Branded sunglasses can offer proper protection, and they aren't just accessories. Hence, it would help if you considered buying sunglasses from a well-known brand.
Special Features
There are many special or additional features that you look for when buying sunglasses. Other than UV protection, you can also go for premium filters and superior lens coatings. These special features will provide better vision quality and eye protection. You have to decide which special features are suitable for your needs, and then choose the perfect one. Here are some special features to look for:
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Polarized Filter
When the sunlight bounces off smooth and reflective surfaces, like water or pavement, polarized sunglasses will help cut the reflective glare. This is particularly helpful when you are boating or driving. You have to ensure that the UV absorption is not replaced or related to UV protection.
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Mirror Coating
Sunglasses with thin layers of several coatings will help reduce the intensity of visible light from entering your eyes. Mirror coating can be pretty efficient in a high-glare environment, and they can be better when paired with wrap around sunglass styles. This special feature can provide extra protection to the skin surrounding your eyes. However, you must note that UV protection is not guaranteed with mirrored sunglasses. You must ensure that this factor is included when purchasing mirrored sunglasses.
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Gradient Tints
Gradient tint sunglasses are shaded from top to bottom, or vice versa, permanently. Gradient tinted lenses help cut the glare from the sun so that you can see clearly. They are quite suitable for driving, but they may not be of much use at the beach. Double-gradient lenses can be a good option for athletes who play sports where lights reflect off water, like sailing or boating.
Where can you buy sunglasses online?
Well, many online stores offer sunglasses, but you need to look for reputed and trusted stores like Optica. Look for stores that will provide branded and premium quality sunglasses at an affordable rate. They should have a safe and trustworthy transaction process and delivery service. Also, look at the return and exchange policies before buying sunglasses online. Some other components to look for when ordering sunglasses online are:
- Ensuring the sunglasses offer a minimum UV400 rating to protect and safeguard your eyes against harmful rays from the sun
- Order sunglasses in various tints so that your visibility is not compromised
At Optica, you can purchase sunglasses according to many factors like your face shape, your style, and the protection you desire. You can go through the many features on our sunglasses page and find top quality shades.
Conclusion
Sunglasses have become an essential accessory, not only because they look good, but they protect your eyes from the damaging rays of the sun. Hence, customers usually focus on the appearance of sunglasses instead of their functionality. While style and appearance can help because they take your outfit to another level, protection is also an essential factor that you must consider before buying sunglasses online. Ensure that the sticker indicates the UV protection level. Look for sunglasses that offer 100 percent UVA and UVB protection, and then you can choose special features like filters and extra coating.
At Optica, you will find the most popular sunglass brand and styles for men, women, and kids. From bold aviators to classy cat-eye sunglasses, we will meet all your eyewear needs. Now that you are aware of all the different options available online, you can shop for the perfect pair! You can place your order online and ensure a smooth delivery process with zero hassle.
