At all times, people have tried to protect their eyes from direct impact sun rays: in China, the face was covered with wide-brimmed hats, in Japan, fabric blindfolds with slits were put on the eyes, into which mica was inserted, and in India, they were covered with silk strips impregnated with resin. Real sunglasses appeared 200 years ago, and they were intended for soldiers of Napoleon's army.
Why do you need sunglasses?
The main purpose of sunglasses is to protect your eyes from direct sunlight.
What is the danger of such exposure?
Sunlight consists of a collection ultraviolet And infrared rays of different lengths. And, if infrared rays are mainly scattered in atmospheric moisture, then ultraviolet rays with a length of 280 to 380 nanometers reach the ground, they are absorbed by the lens, which, while protecting the retina, itself suffers:
- Over the years, the proteins in the lens begin to lose their natural structure and begin to become cloudy, leading to the development of cataracts.
- The ability of the lens to focus on close objects is also lost, its elasticity decreases, which leads to the development of farsightedness.
We will tell you what specifications pay attention to sun protection optics so that you can choose glasses that will protect your eyes from exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
Glass or plastic?
Despite the fact that glass lenses do not transmit ultraviolet rays at all, 95% of modern manufacturers prefer special plastic:
- Glasses with plastic lenses are lightweight.
- They are not traumatic, which is especially important if you choose models for children and drivers.
Be careful! Whatever material you choose to make sunglasses from (glass or plastic), their main task is protection from ultraviolet rays, and whether the glasses will reliably protect your eyes does not depend in any way on the color of the lenses.
Dark lenses or light ones?
Lenses can be both dark and transparent, but they will absorb ultraviolet rays equally well only if they are covered with a special ultraviolet filter on top.
Manufacturers of quality sunglasses carefully monitor this, and be sure to indicate the degree of ultraviolet protection in the labeling.
If you see a sign on the temples of your glasses or in their documents "UV400", this means that these are high-quality sunglasses.
The number 400 in the marking was not chosen by chance. It means that ultraviolet waves, the length of which is measured in nanometers and equal to 400 units, will not penetrate the protective coating. In cheap glasses, the lenses are only colored, darkened, and not covered with a special filter.
The pupil under dark lenses expands, ultraviolet rays easily penetrate under the darkened lenses and are absorbed by the lens, which is very dangerous for vision.
Be sure to pay attention to Will glasses protect you from ultraviolet radiation?, and only then choose degree of light transmission of lenses- their shading. Special markings will also tell you about this; as a rule, on the temple of such glasses there may be the following inscription: “ Cat. 3" or " Filter cat. 3».
Classification of glasses according to the degree of light transmission
- Glasses with 0 degree of light transmission almost transparent. They transmit from 80 to 100% of sunlight. They are recommended for sports types activities in the absence of bright light.
- Glasses with 1st and 2nd degree of light transmission transmit from 43 to 80% and from 18 to 43% of light, respectively. They are recommended to be worn in low to medium sunlight.
- Glasses with 3 degrees of light transmission should be chosen to be worn in very bright sunshine.
- For our latitudes in the hot summer optimal choice There will be glasses with 2-3 degrees of light transmission.
- For spring and early summer mornings, glasses of 1-2 degrees of light transmission are ideal.
- If you decide to conquer mountains, then choose the darkest category 4 glasses.
Once again, we emphasize that the degree of shading of the lenses does not in any way affect their properties of protection from ultraviolet radiation. But the color and size of the lenses determines whether the eyes will feel comfortable.
Lens color and size
Not all colors and shapes of lenses will be comfortable for the eyes.- Thus, our experts advise you to opt for glasses with brown, green or gray shades of lenses, which are considered the most pleasing to the eye, and you should be extremely careful when choosing models with colored lenses.
- Drivers are advised to choose glasses with gradient lenses that are darker on top than on the bottom.
- Pay attention to the lens size. They must be big. It is not recommended to choose glasses with narrow lenses. The whole point of UV protection in this case is lost, because small lenses transmit rays through unobstructed areas and limit the field of view.
- Glasses should sit comfortably on your face, fit against it, but not squeeze your temples or put pressure on the bridge of your nose. This may cause headache and fatigue.
Quality issue
Information about the quality of the materials used can always be found on the label, which indicates what the lenses are made of, as well as from the markings on the frame or from the product passport.
The abbreviations 89/686/EEC, ANSI Z80.3, AS 1067, EN 1836 mean that the glasses are of high quality and the materials used for their manufacture meet global safety standards.
High-quality glasses are always equipped with instructions that describe all the features of the model you have chosen.
You can also check the quality of the lenses by contacting the specialists of the Glasses and Fashion salon on the street. Vasenko, 4, where with the help optical device- a spectrophotometer or calorimeter - you can ensure the safety of the sunglasses you choose.
It is better not to wear glasses at all than to wear low-quality models. Only wearing glasses with UV protection will protect your eyes. This is the first and most important thing you should pay attention to when choosing a quality product. How dark the glasses will be and what shape they will have is a matter of taste.
Selecting sunglasses is an important and difficult task. If you think it's just a matter of fashion brands, then you are very mistaken. Did you know that when going for a walk around the city on a sunny day and packing your suitcases for a seaside holiday, you should take different sunglasses?
Everyone knows that sunlight contains ultraviolet rays that are harmful to humans, from which we need to protect ourselves. Do you think that glasses save you from them? Not at all. Ultraviolet rays such as UVA and UVB are completely blocked by normal clear glass and some types of plastic. There is also a third type of UV rays “C”, but it can be successfully dealt with ozone layer earth's atmosphere. By the way, since we are talking about ultraviolet radiation, reflective surfaces greatly increase the harmful effect of UV rays. That is why it is easy to get sunburned in the mountains and at sea (snow reflects light by 90%, water surface by 70%), but on the shore of a forest lake or river it is difficult (the reflective ability of green grass is only 30%). All these radiations are not visible, but only perceptible. And dark glasses of sunglasses are designed to save our eyes from the visible part of the harmful sunlight. It is the visible bright light that makes us squint our eyes and “make faces,” even if not on purpose.
So, all sunglasses have a filter designed to varying degrees illumination In total, there are 5 degrees of protection for our eyes, and on the product of a responsible manufacturer, the category of sunglasses filter is indicated by the corresponding number.
- “0” means that the lenses of the glasses transmit 80–100% of the light. This is the lowest level of protection; such glasses are only suitable on a cloudy day.
- “1” – 43–80% light transmission. Ideal for days when dense clouds give way to clear skies, that is, for partly cloudy weather and only for the city.
- “2” transmit 18–43% of light and are also suitable for city life. A bright sunny day, a walk to the shops - these are ideal conditions for putting on glasses marked “2”.
- "3". Light transmittance - 8–18%. Sunglasses with filter categories “1” and “2” are suitable for everyday city life, and only these, marked “3”, can and should be chosen for a trip to the sea. Such protection will withstand both sunbathing on the beach and sailing on a yacht.
- “4” means the highest degree of protection of the retina from damaging light. Throughput 3–8%. The choice of such filters for glasses belongs to climbers and tourists climbing mountains.
As you can see, choosing glasses is not so easy. It is unlikely that you should expect the required amount important information about each item of goods on street trays, where not every unit of goods has packaging. Having only once tried to trust a real high-quality company producing sun protection products, you are unlikely to want to return to a suspicious market assortment. Ours could be one of the best purchases of your life. Worldwide famous brand RB has already made millions of people's lives brighter and their lives safer.
Take advantage of the best, because you are already with us!
Sunglasses protect from visible and invisible components of light, primarily from ultraviolet rays, which cause a variety of eye diseases: snow blindness, photokeratitis, cataracts and others.
Much more common are UV 380 glasses, which filter only 95% of ultraviolet radiation.
Sunglasses are especially necessary for children, as their delicate lenses receive more ultraviolet radiation than adults.
Checking sunglasses
To check whether the glasses protect well, you need to measure them at the manufacturer or with special optical equipment. For example, manufacturers often mark standard UV protection ratings on their glasses.
The protection can only be directly checked by contact. The tighter the lenses of the glasses fit to the face (but not too tight so that the eyelashes do not touch the lenses), the less light they let in around the edges. Wide temples and leather trim can be used for the same purpose.
The protection of the lenses themselves is impossible to see. Wherein dark lenses do not always filter ultraviolet radiation better than light. It even happens the other way around - dark lenses dilate the pupils more than light ones, and more ultraviolet radiation gets into the eyes. But dark lenses actually filter ordinary visible light better than light ones.
UV protection also does not depend on the color of the lenses. But you can tell by the color whether they filter blue light. For example, blue And green lenses do not filter blue light, but yellow And brown- on the contrary, they filter too much, which leads to color distortion and can be dangerous when driving.
You can visually check the presence of polarization: to do this, you need to look through your glasses at a reflective non-metallic horizontal surface and turn them along longitudinal axis. The intensity of the glare increases with vertical position points, and decreases (up to extinction) in a horizontal position.
Degree of protection
- Light Category 1 80 - 43% light transmission - for wearing in cloudy weather and as a fashion accessory.
- Average Category 2 43 - 18% light transmission - suitable for wearing in the city and for driving a car.
- Strong Category 3 18 - 8% light transmission - for protection from bright daytime sun.
- Maximum 4 category 8 - 3% light transmission - for maximum protection in high altitude conditions, at ski resorts, in the snowy arctic in summer. They are not intended for driving a car, as they are difficult to see when moving from light to shadow.
- Outside the norm - less than 3% - are extremely dark glacial glasses and special radiation protection glasses, such as welder's glasses.
Polarized Lenses are made using substances that have the ability to filter out plane-polarized rays to reduce glare from a horizontal or nearly horizontal reflective surface (eg, water, snow, wet asphalt) or stray light from the sky. These lenses can be made from glass, but are generally made from plastic, such as a Polaroid film coating. Polaroid film blocks 40-60% of light, so these glasses are also sunglasses.
Artificial lighting does not affect these lenses unless it contains the short ultraviolet waves that the sun emits. Lenses darken much less from visible light, so they are inconvenient for driving - car window glass does not transmit ultraviolet radiation. Photochromic lenses, otherwise called “chameleons,” darken from ultraviolet radiation. In a room where there is no ultraviolet light, they gradually become lighter. Photochromic lenses are made from glass, polycarbonate and other plastics.
Photochromic lenses usually darken and lighten in less than a minute, but the complete transition from one state to another occurs in 5 to 15 minutes.
The same lenses can simultaneously use coloring, polarization, gradation, photochromic effect and mirror coating in various combinations. Gradation or gradient darkening is when the lens is darker at the top and lighter at the bottom. Prescription glasses also come in dark enough or with a chameleon effect to be used as sunglasses. Instead, you can wear so-called attachment lenses- dark on top of optical or vice versa.
Lens color
Colored lenses are used to protect the eyes from too bright light. The color of the lenses depends on the model, style and purpose of use, most often used gray, green, brown And yellow colors.
Black and smoky lenses absorb; .
- Gray or smoky and grey-green Lenses absorb all colored rays almost equally, retain natural colors and are considered neutral.
- Greens Lenses were previously used everywhere, but it turned out that, while transmitting the brightest rays of the spectrum, they least reach the target. Now green lenses are used in special glasses for patients with glaucoma.
- Brown Lenses distort colors a little, but increase contrast.
- Blue And blue blue lenses block yellow and orange rays the most (the brightest); Lenses are used in medium to bright light as they increase contrast without distorting colors.
- Orange Lenses increase contrast and the sense of depth, but distort colors.
- Yellow also increase contrasts, but almost do not darken; Therefore, such lenses are used by those who need clearer vision in cloudy and foggy weather.
- Amber lenses are recommended in artificial light after dark.
- Pink do the world more colorful and sharpen the sharpness of contrasts (the famous phrase “rose-colored glasses”)
- Purple lenses are most often used simply for beauty.
- When working with a computer, you can use slightly darkened lenses to increase contrast.
- Transparent Lenses are used to protect the eyes from wind, dust and chemicals. Some glasses come with interchangeable lenses so they can be used in dim morning and evening light as well as bright midday.
In My OPTICS you can test your sunglasses for ultraviolet ray transmission for FREE.
For the right choice you need to understand that sunglasses have become one of the most important style-shaping accessories; Almost no major fashion show can do without them. As a result, many consumers today perceive sunglasses primarily as a certain element of style, often completely unjustifiably forgetting about their main purpose.
According to the current GOST P 51831-2001"Sunglasses. General technical requirements" sunglasses are a means personal protection eyes, designed to reduce the impact of solar radiation on the eyes. At the same time, nowadays sunglasses have become one of the most important style-shaping accessories; Almost no major fashion show can do without them. As a result, many consumers today perceive sunglasses primarily as a certain element of style, often completely unjustifiably forgetting about their main purpose. Tip 1. When purchasing sunglasses, make sure you are comfortable wearing them. The glasses should fit well on your face so that you don’t have to constantly adjust them; Moreover, they shouldn't. Otherwise, using such glasses can turn into real torture over time. Sunglasses should also be lightweight. In order for glasses to be provided reliable protection from solar radiation, they should have wide temples and/or a close-fitting shape to prevent radiation from entering from the side. Tightly fitting sunglasses will protect from both direct incident light and scattered and reflected light from various surfaces.
Tip 2. When planning to purchase new glasses, decide where and when you are going to wear them. If you need glasses for sports - this is one story (see section), if you are preparing to spend the summer months at sea or in the mountains - another, if you intend to use sunglasses mainly in the city - third. Well, if you spend a lot of time driving and would like to use glasses to make driving more comfortable, then this is a separate, fourth story (see). Having decided on the purpose of the glasses, you will thereby narrow the boundaries of your search and will sooner find for yourself exactly the option that would optimally meet your individual needs.
Tip 3. The effectiveness of using sunglasses and recommendations for their use are determined by indicating the category of sunglasses filter, the light transmission of which corresponds to the spectacle lenses. The filter category is usually indicated on inside temple in front of the “CE” mark (this marking indicates that the product complies with quality standards accepted in Europe) and is indicated by a number from 0 to 4. The higher the filter category, the less light transmission of the lenses. Filter characteristics different categories are clearly presented in the table below.
Characteristics of filters of different categories
| Filter category | Light transmission,% | Description | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | From 80 to 100 | Colorless or very lightly colored filter | Indoors or outdoors in cloudy weather |
| 1 | From 43 to 80 | Light colored filter | In conditions of low solar radiation intensity |
| 2 | From 18 to 43 | Medium colored filter | In conditions of moderate solar radiation intensity |
| 3 | From 8 to 18 | Dark colored filter | In bright sunlight conditions |
| 4 | From 3 to 8 | Very dark colored filter | In conditions of extremely bright solar radiation; not suitable for driving at any time of the day |
Thus, if you need glasses to look impressive even on the gloomiest day or simply to hide signs of fatigue on your face, you can easily get by with glasses with a filter of the first or even zero category. If you intend to spend the summer in the city, prefer lenses with a category 2 filter (this option is perhaps quite universal; it is no coincidence that most glasses offered by manufacturers are equipped with lenses with a category 2 filter), but if your path lies in the mountains or sea, then you cannot do without glasses with a category 3 or 4 filter.
If you need glasses to look impressive even on the gloomiest day or simply to hide signs of fatigue on your face, you can easily get by with glasses with a first category filter
Tip 4. The color of the glasses' lenses, as well as the filter category, must be chosen based on the type of activity you plan to engage in. In general, brown, gray and green lenses are considered the most comfortable for the eyes, which only slightly change the shades of surrounding objects, while the colors remain natural. For motorists in poor road lighting, in difficult weather conditions and at dawn, yellow lenses are recommended, which also help overcome fear and relieve depression. The most optimal for sports lenses orange-brown tones are considered, however, in relation to each specific sport, the conversation should be separate (for more details on this, see:).
In general, brown, gray and green lenses are considered the most comfortable for the eyes.
Tip 5. Sunglasses must provide 100% protection from ultraviolet (UV) radiation - electromagnetic radiation invisible to the eye, occupying the spectral region between visible and X-ray radiation within the wavelength range of 100-380 nm (for more details, see:) . It has been proven that prolonged and intense exposure to UV radiation can lead to the development of cancer diseases skin, cause clouding of the cornea and lens or damage to the retina. Manufacturers of high-quality sunglasses guarantee the consumer complete cutting of ultraviolet radiation to a wavelength of 380 nm or even 400 nm, as evidenced by special markings on the lenses of the glasses, their packaging or accompanying documentation. The user should take into account that intense coloring of sun lenses alone does not guarantee UV protection. Absorption of UV radiation is provided either by the material itself spectacle lenses due to its chemical structure (materials that protect the eye from exposure to ultraviolet radiation include, for example, polycarbonate), or the introduction of special UV absorbers into its composition (sometimes the absorber is even introduced into colorless lenses), or the application of a special coating. It is impossible to ensure that lenses provide protection from UV radiation without special equipment. The guarantee of quality in this case should be the reputation of the glasses manufacturer. If the name of the manufacturer does not mean anything to you, then the presence of protection against UV radiation can be checked using special UV testers or spectrophotometers, which are presented in some optical stores .
The intense coloring of sun lenses alone does not guarantee UV protection
Tip 6. The risk to eye health is exposure not only to ultraviolet radiation, but also to short-wavelength blue radiation in the visible spectrum, covering light waves in the range from 380 to 500 nm (for more details, see:). Today, the assortment of some companies, for example the Austrian company Silhouette and the German concern Rodenstock, includes sunglasses with lenses that cut off the blue range of the visible spectrum. In addition to protecting your eyes by filtering blue light, these glasses significantly improve image contrast.
Tip 7. If, while driving on a bright sunny day, you have ever found yourself in unpleasant situations due to blinding reflected light, sunglasses with polarized lenses may be the best solution for you (for more details, see:). They will be useful not only for motorists, but also for those who spend a lot of time outdoors in conditions of excessive solar radiation - on the beach, in the mountains, or doing winter sports. The polarizing filter of these glasses allows you to completely eliminate the annoying glare that occurs when light is reflected from smooth, flat, shiny surfaces. I would like to make just one amendment regarding motorists: it is not recommended for them to wear glasses with polarized lenses at night. They reduce the glare from oncoming headlights, but also reduce the amount of light reaching the eye that the driver needs to ensure safe driving;
If, while driving on a bright sunny day, you have ever found yourself in unpleasant situations due to blinding reflected light, glasses with polarized lenses may be the best solution for you.
Tip 8. Choose glasses with high-quality sun protection lenses. It is important that the lenses have high optical properties and do not distort color perception. It is considered good practice to have a multifunctional coating on the lens, which removes interfering reflections, increases scratch resistance and makes lenses easier to care for. The latter is achieved due to the presence of a protective hydrooleophobic layer in the coating, which repels water, dirt, grease and prevents their distribution over the surface of the lens (for more details on coatings, see:);
Tip 9. If you wear corrective glasses, you can use the following methods to protect your eyes from the sun: you can insert corrective sun lenses into a frame suitable for this purpose, or use sun clips that are worn over corrective glasses. Some companies, such as Polaroid Eyewear, offer sun clips with a polarizing filter. Today there is a large assortment of sun clips with various systems fastenings, including convenient magnetic fastenings. From a financial point of view, the option with clips is more economical than the option of purchasing corrective sunglasses.
Today there is a large assortment of sun clips with various fastening systems.
Tip 10. No matter how outstanding the quality of the glasses is, if your appearance you don't like wearing these glasses, you're unlikely to wear them with pleasure. Just like when choosing frames, when choosing sunglasses you should consider your individual characteristics, in particular , as well as your preferred one . However, thanks to sun lenses, the wearer of sunglasses looks a little different in them than in glasses for vision correction. This means that some rules for selecting frames can be ignored. So, unlike frames, it is by no means forbidden to hide your eyebrows behind sunglasses. In addition, sunglasses may have big sizes than the prescription glasses you usually wear.
There is an opinion among doctors that it is better not to wear glasses at all than to spoil your eyesight with fake glasses. Let’s not argue with medicine, but try to answer the question: how to distinguish a quality product from a counterfeit one.
Of course, you won’t find real Italian or French models on the regular market, so you shouldn’t pay attention to the inscriptions on the frames. However, there are times when you come across fakes in stores, and even at a hefty price.
Glasses passport
So, the first thing you need to pay attention to is that branded sunglasses always come complete with a passport, a case and a napkin. The passport, as a rule, contains information about compliance with standard N 1836, the country of origin and the care of the product. We advise you to ask for a quality certificate and a catalog with the model you have chosen. This is necessary in order to check the number, color and manufacturer of the product with the data indicated on the temples of the glasses. If the passport contains the “glare protection” sign, this means that the glasses “quench” glare from the reflective surface.
Glasses temples
The inside of the arches contains a lot of educational information. For example, the CE mark, which informs that the glasses comply with European standards.
Also on the frame may be indicated such characteristics as wavelength and the percentage of UVB and UVA that are retained by the lenses, and the refractive index. Let's look at them in more detail.
Regarding wavelength, remember the "UV 400" sign, which provides full radiation protection. The degree of protection against UVA and UVB is most often indicated on the label of sunglasses in the form of the inscription “Blocks at least 95% UVB and 60% UVA”. This means that ultraviolet radiation of category B is blocked by the lenses by 95%, and category A by 60%. To avoid confusion in the numbers, pay attention to models with indicators of at least 50%.
The higher the refractive index (for example, 1.4; 1.5; 1.6), the better and thinner lens. Ray Ban sunglasses use a variety of protective lens coatings that meet all requirements and are labeled as required.
Lens categories
Lenses with the number 0 transmit between 80-100% of all radiation and are suitable for cloudy weather. The number 1 indicates the passage of 43-80% of the light. Such models are intended for weak sun. Number 2 is relevant for sunny days. These lenses transmit from 18 to 43% of radiation. The third category protects from active sun in summer, blocking 8-18% of rays. The last are dark glasses, transmitting 3-8% of light and providing reliable eye protection at ski or sea resorts.
Glass type
Sunglasses vary according to the type of glass specified in the certificate. The characteristics of glass are designated by the letters N, P and F. The letter N is typical for ordinary plastic glass with an ultraviolet filter. The letter P denotes glass that has a polarizing effect and perfectly protects the eyes in the bright sea sun. The letter F indicates photochromic glass, which has the property of adjusting to the brightness of the sun's rays.
