Do you know how to buy sunglasses ?

SUNGLASSES HAVE A LOT OF HISTORY

Sunglasses have been a part of our lives since prehistoric times. In fact, their origins seem to date back to the Inuit peoples of the Arctic regions of North America, who wore a kind of flattened “goggles” made of walrus ivory, through which they looked through narrow slits to block the passage of sunlight. But this genius did not stop there!

The first “sunglasses” They date back to around the 12th century in China, although they were not used specifically to protect against sunlight or correct eyesight. Using a technology of smoked quartz crystals, Chinese judges in courts used these darkened glasses with the intention of not revealing evidence of the verdicts, and thus hiding their expressions until the end of the trial. It seems incredible!

The truth is that over the years, sunglasses have been developed and improved to protect us from the light of the weather, until they were first sold commercially in the 1930s by Sam Foster in the United States and his Foster Grant brand. Since then, they have evolved more and more throughout history to become better in function and also increasingly attractive, also fulfilling an aesthetic function that promotes their purchase.

Nowadays, awareness that sunglasses are essential for protecting our eyes and vision has been increasing. In fact, today 80% of adults understand the importance of protecting their eyes from ultraviolet rays. Despite this, there are still many people who do not buy the right sunglasses due to sheer ignorance or even confusion. Do you think you could be one of them? Keep reading and learn the keys to knowing how to buy sunglasses!

First things first… What are UV rays?

The sun not only provides us with light and heat during the day. It also emits invisible rays that can also be found in tanning beds and sunlamps. Ultraviolet radiation, which is made up of UVA and UVB rays, has effects on our body and our organism that we must help combat.

It is not enough to protect our skin with sunscreen creams, it will also be necessary to reduce our exposure to the sun and also wear specialized glasses that absorb 99% or more of UV rays, as well as hats or caps that help protect our eyes from diseases such as cataracts and even from eye cancer.

SUNGLASSES MUST HAVE UV PROTECTION

Buying sunglasses may seem to some to be the most trivial thing in the world.Suddenly you find yourself out with your friends when a street vendor comes along with lots of eye-catching options and you can't help but buy a pair of sunglasses, even more so if they are at a very good price. You look in the mirror, you look great, and right at that moment you can forget that this simple item will be the one that will define whether you are really protected from the ultraviolet rays emitted by the sun, or if they are rather affecting your eye quality.

Identifying the right sunglasses is very simple if you know how to do it. All you have to do is look for a quality sticker stating the percentage of UVB and UVA rays that their lenses block. Also, if you have any doubts about the quality of your sunglasses, you can always take them to an optician in your area and confirm with UV meters that your sunglasses do indeed have the required protection.

Please note that it is very easy to be confused! Many glasses that claim to be “polarized” do not guarantee UV protection. These types of glasses are designed to provide better vision in bright light but do not necessarily block UV rays from reaching your eyes.

On the other hand, glasses with “mirrored” lenses will help you reduce the amount of visible light entering your eyes, but they are not a guarantee of UV protection in themselves. This mirrored finish only adds a layer to reduce light, so it is important to differentiate this quality, and not trust buying any sunglasses just because at first glance it seems that they will protect us from ultraviolet rays, which are extremely harmful.

BE CAREFUL WITH THE COLOR OF YOUR GLASSES LENS!

Many people also feel more protected if the lens tint or color on their sunglasses is darker or lighter just because it reduces glare. This is one of the most common mistakes a person can make who relies on lens tint when the reality is that even sunglasses with completely clear lenses can offer 100% UV protection.

The truth is that each lens color in your glasses will help you improve your visual perception in the different activities you do during the day, but you should always make sure that they also have 99% or 100% protection against UVB and UVA rays.

Would you be able to identify which lens color is the most ideal for you?

Learn a little more about the colors of your glasses lenses by understanding how they differ from each other.

GREY LENSES: They allow true color perception but keep in mind that they will not help you improve contrast.
AMBER LENSES: This lens tone is excellent for ensuring contrast in colors, although we perceive them as more yellowish and orange. They are ideal for use on cloudy days and help minimize eye strain.
RED LENSES: Glasses with red lenses help with depth perception in low light, and help the eye contrast objects against green or blue backgrounds.
GREEN LENSES: They will help reduce eye fatigue in bright light and allow you to have true color perception with great contrast.
BROWN LENSES: They will be ideal on days with hazy sun and for high-brightness sports such as snow sports, sailing or fishing.
YELLOW LENSES: They will be good to accompany you during cloudy days as they improve visual contrast and depth perception in low light.

REMEMBER!!

Sunglasses will not be able to protect our eyes from certain very intense light sources, so they must be worn with a certain degree of responsibility. Brightness emitted from welding, tanning beds and lamps or looking directly at the sun especially during peak hours or during solar eclipses can cause serious damage to your eyeballs.