Now that summer is rapidly approaching we are able to spend more of our time outdoors. With that brings the need for effective protective eyewear from the sun.

All well made sunglasses on the market have one hundred percent UV protection. The benefits of UV protection are well known including the reduction of skin cancer to the eyelids the chance of benign growths on the white of the eye cataract growth and macular degeneration progression.

Transitions lenses are very popular with a lot of patients. This a proprietary lens that comes in single vision lined bifocal or progressive lenses. The lens will adjust it’s tint based on the amount of UV light present. Essentially they lighten up indoors and darken outdoors. Many patients select this type of lens for every day use. These lenses also offer one hundred percent UV protection.

If you desire a pair of sunglasses there are many types of frame styles and lens properties available. Selecting a frame style is frequently based on personal preference. Styles range from no wrap to mild wrap to full wrap. The term wrap refers to the extent the frame forms to your face. A pair of sunglasses that has a full wrap provides the most coverage in limiting stray light above below and to the sides of your eyes.

There is a wide range of sunglass lens properties to consider when selecting the best sunglasses for you. Lenses can be tinted any colour. Tinting a lens restricts the amount of light that reaches your eyes which reduces light sensitivity. The most popular lens colours are grey or brown. Some tints are selected to enhance certain colours of the visible spectrum. For example there is a teal-coloured tint available that is ideal for tennis. This tint makes the yellow in the tennis ball stand out.

In addition to selecting the tinted lens colour polarization is another option to consider. This is an upgrade from regular tinted sunglasses. Light travels in an infinite number of directions. When a polarized filter is placed in a lens it blocks light that travels in all directions except for one. This provides exceptional glare reduction in bright outdoor lighting. This is why polarized sunglasses are very popular with fisherman. Light reflecting off water can be very startling. Polarized sunglasses allows fisherman to easily see fish below the surface.

There is a lot to consider when selecting the best type of sunglasses for you. Talk to your local optometrist or optician to find the best sunglasses for you.