Sunglasses 101

• Polarized lenses
• Sunglass types
• Ultraviolet radiation
• Windless eyewear
• Z87.1 ANZI Standards

How do I figure out what sunglasses will fit best?

1. Wire frames tend to be lighter than plastic. Plastic frames are made from a variety of materials - nylon frames are the most durable, being more flexible and less prone to snap. Look for metal hinges whenever possible as they tend to last longer than the plastic type. Some sports models have "air dams" molded into the frame that direct the flow of air over the inside of the lenses or small ventilator holes to reduce fogging.

2. Your sunglasses should fit snugly without pinching behind your ears or the bridge of your nose. More expensive shades often come in different sizes. Leave them on for a few minutes. Often, you won't be able to tell if they're too tight until you've worn them for a while.

3. Remember that the best reason to wear sunglasses is to protect your eyes. Large lenses and wraparounds help cut down on UV rays that can easily leak in around the edges of smaller-lens models. Plus, the wraparound design gives full-coverage protection from dust, snow, wind, and rain--a must for cycling and skiing.

4. Test-drive your selection whenever possible. Fluorescent store lighting won't tell you very much about how the sunglasses perform in normal sunny conditions. If the dealer will let you, go outside and look at the glare on a body of water or a car window. Check a shady spot to make sure you can see in shadows.

What are the differences in lens color or tints?

The color of the lens is usually a personal decision, but here are some facts to keep in mind:

• Gray or green-tinted: Offer the least amount of color distortion; good for all-purpose use and clear days.
• Amber and orange: Block blue light, offering a brighter view on cloudy, hazy, or foggy days.
• Gold and yellow: Add contrast; best in flat and dim-light situations.
• Brown: Best for enhancing depth perception.
• Rose: Has the highest contrast and best low-light image resolution.
• Mirrored: Reduces the amount of light that reaches the eyes; good at high altitudes.
• Gradient: Shaded from top to bottom. (A double-gradient lens is dark at the top and bottom, and lighter in the middle.) Driving glasses are often gradated so that you can see the dashboard clearly.
• Photochromic: Automatically darkens and lightens as light conditions change. Photochromic (transitional) lenses won't get very dark, and take some time to adjust to changes in light. Heat also hinders the photochromic (transitional) lenses from getting dark.

Tip: Darker doesn't necessarily mean better. The darker the lenses, the more visible light they block. Brighter conditions demand darker lenses. It's important to keep in mind where you'll be wearing them most. Sunglasses designed for mountain climbing, for example, generally have lenses too dark for everyday wear.

What do the numbers located on the bridge and temples of the frames mean?

Example:

The numbers on the frame reflect the SIZE MEASUREMENTS in millimeters (mm).

THE FIRST NUMBER (ex.54) = the width of the lenses

THE SECOND NUMBER (ex.38) = the distance between the Top of the lenses to the bottom.

THE THIRD NUMBER (ex.59) = the diagonal distance of the lens

THE FOURTH NUMBER (ex.18) = the distance of the bridge between the lenses

THE FIFTH NUMBER (ex.140) = the length of the temple arm including the portion going behind the ear

Lense Color Guide

	GRAY 3 reduces the maximum amount of visible light and allows for true color recognition. Good for bright sunny days and heavy glare situations. Best uses include driving, deep-water fishing and general use.		GRAY 1 is a lighter shade of the Gray C lens. Transmits colors evenly and allows for true color recognition. Good for partly sunny to bright sunny days. Can be used as a base creating custom colors.
	BROWN 3 provides excellent contrast and improves visual acuity and depth perception. Good for bright sunny and varying conditions. Reduces blue light. Best for driving, golfing and shallow water fishing.		BROWN 1 is a lighter shade of the Brown C color. Improves contrast and depth perception. Good for partly sunny to bright sunny days. Can be used as a base for creating custom colors.
	YELLOW provides the maximum light transmission of any polarized lens. Increases contrast and filters out some blue light. Used in low light conditions such as overcast or cloudy days. Popular among shooters, hunters and for night driving.		MELANIN blocks high amounts of blue light, while maintaining true color balance. Melanin provides high contrast for better visual acuity and is good for bright sunny and varying conditions. Great for golfing, driving and fishing, or any one with macular degeneration.
	ORANGE increases contrast and blocks blue light. Best in overcast or partly cloudy conditions. This is the most common lens color used for clay target shooting. Also used for hunting, biking and skiing.		RED is a vibrant color that increases contrast. Often used for fishing in early morning or late evening hours. Used in target shooting for bright sunny conditions. Also used for skiing and hunting.
	VIOLET increases contrast and dampens certain backgrounds. Violet is often used by shooters in average or bright conditions. Also used for skiing, snowmobiling and golfing.		BLUE is used in partly cloudy to sunny conditions. Good for tennis, golf, snowmobiling and shooting at green targets. Blue lenses let in the maximum amount of blue light.
	GREEN has slightly better contrast than the gray colors, but is not considered a high contrast lens. Green maintains true color balance and is a good choice for varying light conditions. Used for tennis driving and golf, as well as an all-purpose color.		Clear lenses may be tinted to create custom colors for every need or request.

What are the different lenses made of?

There are three major types of sunglass lenses: glass, polycarbonate and plastic.

• Glass lenses are the most scratch-resistant and distortion-free, but they are also heavier, more expensive and more likely to shatter.
• Polycarbonate lenses are tougher than plastic and are shatterproof, making them ideal for sports and outdoor activities.
• Plastic lenses cost much less, but are easily scratched and generally come with cheaper, flimsier frames.

What is the benefit of Polarized Lenses?

Polarized lenses are great for reducing glare from water, sand, snow or highway pavement that can cause temporary blindness, eyestrain, headaches, and impair night vision. They contain horizontal filtering strips that virtually eliminate the glare of reflected light. Polarization alone, however, does not block UV rays. UV protection comes from an invisible chemical applied to the lens. When buying polarized sunglasses don't forget to check the UV rating too.

What type of sunglasses would be best for me?

When it comes to choosing the best sunglasses for active sports, one size does not fit all. Always make sure the shades offer adequate UV protection (99%-100% absorption), and are attached by a sports band or lanyard so they won't get easily lost. In addition, here are a few other things to look for:

• For skiing and snow boarding -
Polycarbonate lenses - shatter-proof and fog-resistant
Plastic frames - sturdier and more flexible than metal frames
Wraparound frames - offer the best protection against wind and snow
Polarized lenses - absorb glare off the snow
Amber or vermilion tint lenses - provide the best contrast against snow

• For cycling -
Wraparound frames - best protection against wind and dust
Brown, photochromic lenses - offer best contrast and adapt to changing light

• For tennis -
Polycarbonate lenses - won't shatter if struck by the ball
Polycarbonate or nylon frames - less likely to snap on impact
Sports band - glasses should be secured with a strap

• For golf -
Contrast-enhancing lens tint - brown and rose colors are best for contrasting green fairways
Golf frames - some manufacturers offer special frames with minimized bridge and extended bottom flaps to reduce the visual distraction of the frames during your swing

What is ultraviolet radiation?

1 . UV, or ultraviolet radiation, is part of the invisible light spectrum that falls between 100 and 400 nanometers (nm). UV is divided into three ranges - UV-A, UV-B and UV-C. UV-C, the range below 280 nanometers, is not considered a threat because most of it is filtered by the earth's protective ozone layer (although air pollutants are degrading the ozone, thus increasing UV exposure). Prolonged exposure to the higher-ranged UV-A and B rays, however, can cause significant eye damage, ranging from temporary discomfort to long-term vision problems such as cataracts. So check the labeling on your shades to make sure they protect against UV-A and B rays.

2. UV radiation is most intense between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and is stronger at high altitudes and closer to the equator. Sunglasses are particularly critical gear for mountaineers, climbers and anyone heading for the tropics.

3. The reflective qualities of snow, sand and water amplify the effects of UV radiation, harming unprotected eyes over even a brief period time. Thus it's especially important to wear the right sunglasses while skiing, boating, climbing or while hanging out on the beach or in the desert.

4. While clouds block solar brightness they can still allow up to 80 percent of UV light to reach your eyes and skin. So don't forget your shades on those cloudy days.

5. Dark lenses that don't block UV light can actually cause more damage than wearing none at all because they dilate your pupil, allowing more light in without blocking the damaging rays.

6. In addition to UV-blocking shades, wear a brimmed hat when in sunny conditions. Fifty percent of sunlight comes from directly overhead and can reach your eyes over the top of your sunglasses. Look for "wraparound" sports sunglasses, with specially curved lenses and frames that hug the contours of the face.

7. Babies and young children are more susceptible to UV damage because they have more translucent corneas and lenses. Protect them with hats and sunglasses .

What is Windless Eyewear?

Windless Eyewear will enclose and seal your eyes from the elements. Venting of the lenses allows slight airflow to keep the lenses from fogging and keeping your eyes from excessive wind irritation (great if you wear contacts). These glasses come with 100% UV protection along with diverting wind, dirt or snow.
Checkout our Windless Eyewear.

How has the ANSI standard changed?
• It is now called the ANSI Z87.1-2003 standard.
• The new standard is performance driven.
• The new standard has two levels of performance for non-pl ano (prescription) lenses.
- Basic Impact
- High Impact
• The new standard requires that prescription safety frames must meet the lens retention (High Velocity and High Mass) test requirement with 2.0mm lenses.
Please be aware that an employee subjected to High Impact may not be adequately protected if wearing lenses tested only for Basic Impact. Description of the new ANSI testing requirements:
High Impact Level Prescription Lenses
• Must not be less than 2.0mm thick.
• The lenses shall be capable of resisting impact from a 6.35mm (1/4 in.) steel ball traveling at 45.7 m/s (150 ft/s).
• Marking by manufacturer with "W" as a trademark would look
like this: W+ Basic Impact Level Prescription Lenses
• Basic Impact lenses shall be a minimum 3.0mm thick except those lenses having a plus power of 3.00D or greater shall have a minimum thickness of 2.5mm (no change from the 1989 standard).
• Basic Impact lenses are not tested to stringent High Impact requirements.
• They will NOT be marked with a "+"
• Protectors with Basic Impact lenses will be delivered to the wearer bearing a Warning Label indicating that the protector only meets the Basic Impact Standard.

Prescription Frame
• All prescription safety frames must meet High Velocity and High Mass impact resistance tests while retaining the lenses.
• The frame will be marked with Z87-2.
• All frames marked with Z87-2 can be used for Basic Impact and High Impact protection.

Side shields
• Lateral protection shall be assessed using a rotation point 10mm behind the corneal vertex, which means that shields must now provide more coverage.