There are some things in this world that are purely fashionable. Others are strictly good for us. When it comes to sunglasses, they are both! Sunglasses may be a wonderful fashion accessory on bright days, but they are also great protection for a person’s eyes. This can be very important, as the damage the sun does to the eyes is often not noticed until it’s too late.
Whether you’re someone looking for protection or style, sunglasses are always a good purchase. However, there’s more to consider about sunglasses. In most cases, they aren’t particularly cheap. If you’re going to make a large investment in a pair, you want to know exactly what kind of benefits you are getting out of them.
Why Wear Sunglasses?
There’s a lot of good medical benefits you can get by wearing sunglasses. Sunglasses are responsible for reducing or eliminating the UV rays the eye contacts from the sun. These UV rays are often the leading causes of many eye diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration. Don’t forget cancer. Skin cancer is very commonly found to start near the eye lids. This means that proper protection from sunglasses can even help reduce the risk of cancer!
Sunglasses are often considered a summer item when the sun is shining brightly, but are actually quite useful year round. Winter glare off sun and ice can cause incredibly dangerous driving conditions, and sunglasses are the prime counter to these issues. Also, people suffer from migraines year round. Many of these migraine sufferers find bright light and sun rays to be especially painful triggers. Wearing sunglasses can assist in mitigating this pain.
Sunglass Styles
There’s a lot of different sunglass styles to choose from. Much like any other item, different sunglasses will go in and out of style. Some of the most popular styles include:
- Aviators - If there’s one style that’s perhaps “timeless” it’s the Aviator. These sunglasses have a metal frame and large teardrop style lenses. They can do a good job of blocking the sun regardless of the angle it strikes the face.
- Retro Square - This style is very boxy and was popular in the late 70s and 80s. The frames are incredibly thick, which lends to different prints being common.
- Sport - Sport sunglasses tend to have thinner lenses that will taper off as they approach a person’s temples. These certainly come in and out of fashion and are often popularized by the Oakley brand.
- Cat Eye - These sunglasses have a retro flair that was big in the time of Marilyn Monroe. Big style points go to anyone who pulls off a Cat Eye pair of sunglasses.
Prescription Sunglasses
People who require a prescription to see properly may not enjoy sunglasses much like other people. Since vision is tied to the viewing device each person is wearing, prescription sunglasses means another cost. While many people are careful, it does seem like sunglasses get lost more often than regular eyeglasses. Perhaps this is because sunglasses tend to be worn outside the home. Losing a pair of prescription sunglasses can be rather expensive, as it’s rare for them to be covered under any health insurance plans.
People with prescription contact lenses don’t have quite the same issue. It’s usually possible to wear a comfortable pair of sunglasses over prescription contacts. This means that there’s no extra costs associated in getting a prescription version of them.