Choosing sunglasses

I want to get a pair of sunglasses that allows me to see clearly in
bright sunlight. The inexpensive ones I have work well most of the time
but really fail when hit by direct sunlight. What features should I be
looking for? Does the lens need a non-glare coating? Are there some
good OTC sunglasses or do I need to order them by prescription? Thanks
for any advice.

In article <84qdnfbmHfrxem_eRVn-(E-Mail Removed)>,
tenplay <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I want to get a pair of sunglasses that allows me to see clearly in
> bright sunlight. The inexpensive ones I have work well most of the time
> but really fail when hit by direct sunlight. What features should I be
> looking for?

A hat? That's what I use. I almost never wear sunglasses, but *always*
wear a hat (although not just to help me see). I'll be wearing
sunglasses tomorrow morning because I expect that my eyes will be major
dilated.

--
Dan Abel
(E-Mail Removed)
Petaluma, California, USA

"tenplay" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:84qdnfbmHfrxem_eRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I want to get a pair of sunglasses that allows me to see clearly in bright
>sunlight. The inexpensive ones I have work well most of the time but
>really fail when hit by direct sunlight. What features should I be looking
>for? Does the lens need a non-glare coating? Are there some good OTC
>sunglasses or do I need to order them by prescription? Thanks for any
>advice.

A prescription is only necessary if the lenses have a power.

It is possible that you can have custom made plano lenses (no power) to a
fit any frame, with various coatings as you desire from a regular eyewear
shop, but no Rx is needed.

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>,
"Mark A" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:


> A prescription is only necessary if the lenses have a power.


In the US, you can get reading glasses without a prescription.


> It is possible that you can have custom made plano lenses (no power) to a
> fit any frame, with various coatings as you desire from a regular eyewear
> shop, but no Rx is needed.

Costco used to (and may still) advertise these in the store, for really
cheap. Don't quote me, but it may have been as little as US$5 over the
cost of the frame.

--
Dan Abel
(E-Mail Removed)
Petaluma, California, USA

The cheapies (those throw away sunglasses you can get for a few bucks)
can have moderate to heavy distortion/warpage in the lenses which can
cause
problems with fatigue and strain compared to the quality ones such
as Ray Bans, Serengeti's. You get what you pay for.

frank

It is really simple. You go to a good SG store, put a few hundred bucks
on the counter and tell the clerk you want to try the specs on outside
in the sun. Take a pair at a time out and find a lens you think is
best, then worry about what the frame looks like.

p.s. Ray Ban are ****, try Serengetti, Revo, Maui Jim, Vuarnet, Oakley
and Bolle. They all have different properties so will do different
things. Personally, I am yet to find better lenses than Mako, but you
can't get them over there.

dr grant

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

> The cheapies (those throw away sunglasses you can get for a few bucks)
> can have moderate to heavy distortion/warpage in the lenses which can
> cause
> problems with fatigue and strain compared to the quality ones such
> as Ray Bans, Serengeti's. You get what you pay for.

We've had this discussion before, but hey, it's always a fun game.

It's possible, by holding the cheapies at a distance and moving them around in
front of a vertical line, to determine whether they have any distortion at
all. Thus far I have found none. My former optician looked at one pair of
them with <some machine> and asked me where I got them so he could get some.

I've got a couple of pairs of decent big polarized lightweight sunglasses for
$5/pair at the Big 5 sporting goods store -- ask for the cheap ones for
fishermen that they have on sale every once in a while -- normal price is $7.

--
Cheers,
Bev
---------------------------------------------------------------
"Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket."
-- George Orwell

Mike Tyner wrote:

> "tenplay" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote
>
>>I want to get a pair of sunglasses that allows me to see clearly in bright
>>sunlight. The inexpensive ones I have work well most of the time but
>>really fail when hit by direct sunlight. What features should I be looking
>>for? Does the lens need a non-glare coating? Are there some good OTC
>>sunglasses or do I need to order them by prescription? Thanks for any
>>advice.
>
> I used to buy OTC sunglasses. Name brands were ok, but I once bought a cheap
> pair that behaved exactly as you described.
>
> I'm convinced they used a cheaper plastic, one that scatters light more.
> Most name brands use the same acrylic that prescription glasses are made of,
> called CR39. I never noticed the light-scattering effect in Foster Grants or
> other $10-$20 sunglasses. But it was very noticeable in the cheapies -
> walking out from under a porch into the sunlight there was a definite "fog"
> appreciable with direct sunlight.
>
> I'm sure the scattering was a separate problem from waves, coatings, and
> distortion.

I think Oakley M-frames are made of thin sheets of polycarbonate. I really
like those and am regretful that since they're no longer fashionable you can't
find $10 knockoffs any more.

--
Cheers,
Bev
---------------------------------------------------------------
"Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket."
-- George Orwell

The Real Bev wrote:
> Mike Tyner wrote:
>
>> "tenplay" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote
>>
>>> I want to get a pair of sunglasses that allows me to
>>> see clearly in bright sunlight. The inexpensive ones I
>>> have work well most of the time but really fail when
>>> hit by direct sunlight. What features should I be
>>> looking for? Does the lens need a non-glare coating?
>>> Are there some good OTC sunglasses or do I need to
>>> order them by prescription? Thanks for any advice.
>>
>> I used to buy OTC sunglasses. Name brands were ok, but I
>> once bought a cheap pair that behaved exactly as you
>> described.
>>
>> I'm convinced they used a cheaper plastic, one that
>> scatters light more. Most name brands use the same
>> acrylic that prescription glasses are made of, called
>> CR39. I never noticed the light-scattering effect in
>> Foster Grants or other $10-$20 sunglasses. But it was
>> very noticeable in the cheapies - walking out from under
>> a porch into the sunlight there was a definite "fog"
>> appreciable with direct sunlight.
>>
>> I'm sure the scattering was a separate problem from
>> waves, coatings, and distortion.
>
> I think Oakley M-frames are made of thin sheets of
> polycarbonate. I really like those and am regretful that
> since they're no longer fashionable you can't find $10
> knockoffs any more.

I like the Rudy Project shades I have now. They're not
inexpensive but I keep shades forever. Rudy has an unconditional
lens guarantee. $15 and you can replace your lenses for
any reason. They are not as good as the Nikons I retired
because I was getting a bit worried about having glass in
front of my eyes. They also were getting a bit heavy. I had
them for more than 4? years or so. Nikon made shades for a
very short amount of time (not just the frames). Darkest shade
of neutral grey, double gradient mirrored, polarized, glass.
The unique thing about the Nikons is that they put all the
coatings on the inside of the sandwich (maybe not the AR
coating). Can't rub them off or scratch them. Nikon or their
retailers were dumping them at huge discounts when they
got out of the business. Not sure if you can find them any
more.

Maybe technology has caught up but I always believed the
way to go for no compromise shades was:
Glass - best optics
Darkest shade of neutral grey - it really is color neutral
Polarized - *huge* difference with respect to fatigue
Double gradient mirrored - I'm not so sure about the
glare reduction but it does make it darker. I drove a semi
so the glare came from above and below.
AR coated.

Downside is they're not so safe, heavy, and limited wrap.

-Quick

Or better yet, find what you want then go on Ebay to buy them at 1/4
the cost. I am partial to Vuarnet but you can find anything out there.