Guide to Buying Sunglasses
Eye Protection With Style! Here is information on where
it all began and the options you have when buying sunglasses.
Inexpensive mass-produced sunglasses were introduced to America
by Sam Foster in 1929. Foster found a ready market on the beaches
of Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he began selling sunglasses
under the name Foster Grant from a Woolworth on the Boardwalk.
Sunglasses would not become polarized, however, until 1936,
when Edwin H. Land, began experimenting with making lenses with
his patented Polaroid filter. Since the 1950s sunglasses have been
worn as a fashion statement, especially on the beach. Medical
experts now recommend to wear sunglasses for protection and
consider them a necessity
in direct sunlight. Sunglasses protect the eyes from ultraviolet
radiation, which can lead to the development of cataracts.
Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV rays)) can cause
short-term nd long-term ocular problems such as photokeratitis,
snow blindness, cataracts, and various eye cancers. Wearing
sunglasses is no longer just a fashion statement. It's educated,
preventative health.
Some sunglasses have polarized lenses (made from Polaroid or a
similar material) to reduce glare caused by light reflected from
polarizing surfaces such as water as well as by sky radiation
(skylight). Sunglass lenses are made from either glass or plastic.
Plastic lenses are typically made from acrylic, polycarbonate, or
CR-39. Glass lenses have the best optical clarity and scratch
resistance, but are heavier than plastic lenses. They can also
shatter or break upon impact. Plastic lenses are lighter than
glass lenses, but are more prone to scratching. They do however,
offer better resistance to shattering than glass. Polycarbonate
lenses are the lightest, and are also almost shatterproof, making
them good for impact protection. CR-39 lenses are the most common
plastic lenses, due to their low weight, high scratch resistance,
low transparency for ultraviolet and infrared radiation. The color
of the lens can vary by style, fashion, and purpose. For general
use, green, grey, yellow, or brown is recommended to avoid or
minimize color distortion which would be dangerous when driving.
Grey lenses are considered neutral because they do not distort
colors. Brown and green lenses cause minimal color distortion, but
have contrast-enhancing properties. Red lenses are good for lower
light conditions because they enhance contrast but cause color
distortion. Orange and yellow lenses have the best contrast
enhancement at depth perception. Yellow lenses are commonly used
by golfers for its contrast enhancement and depth perception
properties. Blue and purple lenses offer no real benefits and are
mainly just used for cosmetic purposes.
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