Summer is finally here, and it’s time to break out the sunscreen and sunglasses to do some serious connecting with the outdoors. Colorado’s high elevation makes it extremely important to protect extremities against stress, damage and strain. This means skin, hair and eyes.
Unfortunately eye protection sometimes is an afterthought when we think of going outside. Sunglasses are more than a cursory accessory or fashion statement; they can enhance enjoyment of the outdoors by easing stress on the eyes, making colors more distinguished, and even enhancing performance for such outdoor sports as golf and fishing. Your choice of outdoor eyewear can even slow down signs of aging.
The scoop on UV rays
Ultraviolet radiation (UV rays) comes naturally from the sun and is distinguished by different categories based on wavelength. The two types we encounter most in the outdoors are UVA and UVB rays, which contribute to achieving a golden tan. However, continued overexposure also can cause sunburn, snow blindness, immune suppression, skin cancer, premature aging and eye damage.
“A lot of parents don’t realize it’s very important for children to wear lenses with UVA and UVB protection, and when you’re young it’s very important as the crystalline lens of the eye is more susceptible to the UV damage,” says Bill Brown, an American Board Optician Certified and Licensed Optician at Europtics in Park Meadows.
However, for adults, the government mandates that all sunglasses have protection from the sun’s UV rays. That means, as far as UV protection for your eyes, that $10 pair of sunglasses at the gas station is just as effective as the $290 pair at the local eyeglass store.
So what’s the difference?
“The biggest difference between the lower end over-the- counter type glasses is, No. 1, none of them is polarized, and, No. 2, none of them is ground and polished,” says Brown, adding that cheap sunglasses often use less-expensive, injection molded materials like acrylic or plastic. “The lenses are thinner, which leads to more eyestrain due to distortion. The (lens’) curve is not as true, it will wave a little bit. All of this adds up to more discomfort for the user,” he says.
Polarization
Some consumers aren’t familiar with the word, but polarization is an important feature that enhances enjoyment of outdoor activities. Two top choices for polarized sunglasses are high-contrast brown – best for all outdoor sports – or neutral gray, which is best for people who may be more light sensitive (like those with light-colored skin, hair and eyes).
Founder and former head of Bolle sunglasses, Steve Haber, says, “What polarized does is stops reflection and glare. A great example of how it works is if you look at the water you can actually see what’s in the water because you’re not seeing the sun bouncing off the water.”
Haber, who sold Bolle and went into retirement in 1995, recently began a new high-end sunglasses company primarily because he believed there was a need for high-quality, polarized sunglasses that offered consumers great value.
Haber’s line of high-end polarized performance lenses – called Habervision – are offered only on the Web, allowing the company to provide a 50 percent discount to consumers off of regular, retail prices to consumers who’ve obtained a discount code.
“One of the themes of our eyewear is a ‘no-glare day, every day,”‘ says Haber. “We want to make it easier for you to see in the outdoors everyday.”
Photochromatic lenses
Another option is photochromatic lenses that block out 60 percent of light, darkening to 80 to 85 percent when the user ventures outside. The thing to consider with photochromic lenses is that in a driving situation, the car’s windshield blocks many incoming UV rays, simulating an environment more like indoors than outside. This causes the lens not to change to maximum density, and it blocks less light.
Fashion lenses
The big-lens look is back. Worn by celebrities like Paris Hilton and Carmen Electra, they may remind you of your 1970s heyday, but it’s big business. From Chanel, to Dolce and Gabana, to Prada – it’s all about the look. Fashion frames come with “a basic lens that’s tinted,” says Brown. “You’re much more likely to find a gradient tint – 80 percent density on the top, lightening to 20 to 30 percent on the bottom. It’s strictly for fashion.”
He points out that fashion glasses have good lenses, a few cuts above the gas-station variety, and of course offer protection from UV rays.
Choosing the perfect eyewear for your activity is a matter of being able to distinguish among the myriad choices.
It’s important to know what will best fit your life and your lifestyle so you can enjoy your summer and truly connect with the outdoors.
Doni Luckett is chief executive of Divine-Basics.com, which produces lifestyle products to reconnect with moments that matter. Your questions may be addressed in the column by e-mailing enrichyourlife @divine-basics.com.
