Lenses + Categories

Hi Everyone!

Sunglasses Guru here (keke I kid!) Just thought I might share some more useful information when you are wanting to buy a new pair of sunglasses! I definitely know how hard it is to pick a style you like and making sure it fits your face perfectly; I see customers struggle with finding a decent pair almost every day! Its a hard battle but it is uplifting when I see a customer walk away all excited to try their new pair!

This blog post is going to be about the different categories and Polarisation. Just because it is important to know what type of sun protection you are buying!

From my experience there are categories by which sun glare reduction is categorised as:

Category 0: No Sun glare Reduction - Fashion Lens only!

Category 1: Low Sun glare Reduction

Category 2: Medium Sun glare Reduction

Category 3: High Sun glare Reduction

Category 4: Designed for special purposes NOT for normal wear.

Polarised (I'll explain why this little puppy is separate to the rest later!)

Here's something I found in my product info notes from work:

 

Category	Light Absorption	Recommended Use	UV Block
0	0-20% absorption	Artificial Light
1	20-47% absorption	Sunny day in the shade
2	47-82% absorption	Sunny day on the grass	100%
3	82-92% absorption	Highway, beach or ski-slope	100%
4	92-97% absorption	High altitude snow field	100%

Now remember that the lighter your eye color - the more sensitive your eyes are to the sun! So Category 3 would be most recommended. Also those who have had surgery on their eyes, or wear prescription contacts will find their eyes are more sensitive - for these situations I would recommend Polarised or Category 3 sunglasses at the minimum.

Lens Colors + Styles

Now you're probably wondering as to why, despite the categories there are many different types and types of lenses by which you can choose from. Funny enough each type of lens color and style has a purpose - all of which have a purpose in protecting your eyes.

Coatings on Lenses

Mirrored/Reflective Coatings: They look pretty cool plus the cool thing about it is that it is way more reflection against standard glare, because it reflects the light back away from your eyes :D YAY FOR MIRRORED This is more popular amongst guys than girls, just because from all the customers I have served who have looked at the mirrored lens, their girlfriend's said it was creepy looking haha! Why you ask? Because you can't see where the person (who is wearing the sunglasses) is looking! XD

Anti-Reflective Coatings: This particular coating is actually put on the inside of the lens of your sunglasses. It stops light from entering behind you and reflecting back off the lens into your eyes! Watch out sun! We're on to you! *shakes fist*

Scratch-Resistant Coatings: We all know that lens scratch, you are able to get a clear coating put over your lenses to make them a little more robust! But don't go thinking that your glasses are indestructible!

Lens Colors

These are the basic lens colors you can get in your sunglasses. Naturally there are many more colors around but these are the main ones which do a lot more for your eyes than you realise!

Green: Great for varying light conditions. Sharpens visual definition and enhances depth perception.

Grey: Very much considered the all-purpose lens. You can see the natural colors, its easier on the eye when looking through the lens during bright days, its great for bright light situations and it doesn't mess with your depth perception :D

Amber: This is more popular for outdoor activities (esp. high speed activities - Fast & Furious crew should be wearing these babies during their antics during the day XD bad joke!). This is great for skiing but they can distort colors and provide high contrast in hazy conditions - almost the opposite to a grey lens.

Brown: Like the grey, is another all-purpose lens.

Other colors

Purple & Blue: these are simply cosmetic lens - pretty just as a color!

Royal Blue: Suitable for shooting. (O_O:)

Light Blue (cosmetic tint): Often prescribed for night driving or computers in conjunction with anti-reflection coating.

Rose (Special purpose tint): Great for high-speed activities like snow sports and shooting

Red: Provides high contrast while filtering out the powerful sunshine. Good for high glare environments which harmonising light/shadow changes. Suitable for cycling, flying and snow sports.

Yellow (Special purpose tint): A light enhancing lens for overcast/darker conditions. Provides depth perception in low light. Good for rainy conditions, shooters and night-time use.

Orange: Provides depth perception in changing light conditions. A light enhancing lens good for environments where shadow definition is required. Good for cycling, flying and snow sports.

Clear: Protection from wind, debris and insects. Good for night-time riding.

I hope I haven't exploded your head with all these hard-core information! But I really do believe it is important to know what type of lens is best for you eyes, and what they do for you!


If you have any questions about sunglasses, feel free to leave a comment below!

love always, khatsii