What Should We Consider When Buying New Glasses?

Buying new glasses can be a dizzying experience, thanks to the wide array of frames on the market to choose from. Although an optometrist is often happy to assist customers in picking out new glasses, it can help to think about what you want before you go in to buy glasses. By organizing your wants and needs, buying new glasses will be much easier, because you will be able to readily eliminate glasses you do not want from the selection.

Most people buy new glasses because they have broken their old frames or no longer like them. In either case, an eye exam should be undertaken when buying new glasses to make sure that the prescription is updated, if necessary, and that your eyes are healthy. Most optometrists offer a selection of frames in the office, and some also grind lenses on site, so that you could potentially get your new glasses that day. If you are buying new glasses for an emergency and need them in a hurry, make sure to discuss that when you call to make an appointment.

The shape of the frames is an important consideration when buying new glasses. Glasses come in rectangular, oval, or polygonal configurations, and not all of them will look good with your facial structure. In addition, the shape and size of the lens will have an impact on your field of vision. For example, if you are buying new glasses because you are severely nearsighted, you probably want to avoid small oval lenses, although they may look fetching, because your eyesight will be restricted. Think about bringing a friend with you when you buy new glasses, to get a second opinion about how the glasses look on your face, while you think about how you will see through them.

If you wear glasses all the time, you should think about buying a flexible frame style which can go with a lot of outfits and jewelry. If you primarily wear silver jewelry, for example, you probably should avoid buying new glasses with a gold finish. While trying on lenses for style, consider comfort as well. Make sure that the nose pieces are adjustable if the glasses do not fit comfortably, and think about how the ear pieces feel. If you are physically active, you probably also want flexible glasses, such as frames made from a memory material which will bend with impact, rather than breaking.

When you are buying new glasses, you have a number of options when it comes to lenses. Most lenses come with scratch resistance built in, which can be a useful feature. Many optometrists also offer the option of clear or transitional lenses. Clear glasses lenses are plain, while transitional lenses will darken when they are exposed to Ultraviolet rays, turning into sunglasses. Some glasses wearers appreciate this feature, while others prefer to maintain a separate pair of prescription sunglasses.

If you drive a lot, you should probably get a pair of clear glasses and a set of prescription sunglasses, because transitional lenses will not darken in a car, since the windshield blocks UV. This means that you could have difficulty seeing in bright driving conditions. In addition, prescription sunglasses tend to be darker, and they will protect the delicate tissues of your eye from sunburn, keeping your eyes healthy in the long term.

What is the Best Way to Protect my Eyes from the Sun?

Medical studies have increasingly tied chronic exposure to UV and near-UV rays to ocular diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration. Shade does not provide adequate protection, as the eyes still absorb UV radiation, especially when near water, snow, or highly reflective surfaces like concrete or sand. The best way to protect your eyes is a quality pair of sunglasses that meet recommended criteria for sun protection.

Although lenses are the most important feature, if the frames allow a considerable amount of light to enter the eyes without first being filtered through the lenses, much of the sun protection is lost. The most effective frames are a wrap-around style that blocks light from entering at the sides. Wraparounds also hug the face, lessening the amount of light that can enter over the top or at the cheekbones.

It is also vital that the lenses offer maximum sun protection. This isn’t dependent on how dark the lenses are, but rather on their ability to filter out certain wavelengths. Look for lenses that block 100% UV-A and UV-B rays. These are the same rays that cause sunburn and skin cancer. Though UV-C rays are often mentioned, the earth’s atmosphere blocks virtually all of these.

It is also important to look for lenses that filter near-UV light. Studies suggest that excessive exposure to near-UV light contributes to macular degeneration as we age, a chronic disease that results in deteriorated visual clarity. Near-UV is also called high energy visible (HEV) light or “blue light.” These rays are less destructive than UV-A or UV-B rays and do not have to be blocked entirely, but this spectrum should be at least partially filtered to provide better sun protection.

The near-UV range falls between 400 and 515 nanometers (nm) within the visible light spectrum. If glasses “block near-UV to 400nm,” this is an indicator that they don’t block much of this spectrum. Conversely, if they “block near-UV light to 515nm,” they filter out the entire spectrum, eliminating blue.

Yellow lenses remove the blue light spectrum completely, filtering all near-UV rays. This distorts color perception and feels harsh to many people. Amber lenses block some of this range and are less harsh then yellow lenses, preserving more true color. Melanin lenses are fairly new, based on the body’s own form of built-in sun protection, and filter a large portion of the near-UV or blue light spectrum while maintaining the truest color of HEV-blocking lenses.

Quality sunglasses will have a tag or accompanying information revealing the amount of sun protection they provide. Sunglasses missing this information probably don’t provide maximum sun protection, as 100% UV blockage and HEV filtering are valuable selling points.

Though sunglasses don’t have to be expensive, quality sunglasses are an investment in the long-term health of your eyes. Sunglasses that provide good sun protection will also help to protect the delicate skin surrounding the eyes from premature wrinkles and skin cancer. All the way around, a good pair of sunglasses is an investment well worth the money. Your eyes deserve good sun protection.