HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD PAIR OF SUNGLASSES

Fit is really important.  Sunglasses shouldn't touch your cheeks or the lenses will steam up when you get hot.  Watch your eyelashes don't flick on the inside of the lenses.  The arms need to grip so they won't fall off easily but not be so tight as to cause headaches.  The bigger and more wrapped the lens the more peripheral vision you'll have.  Lenses and frames with ventilation holes go a long way to reducing annoying lens fogging.  For skiing you want goggles that are snug but not too tight and give a good field of vision.  Sunglass cords or purpose made frames with headbands will help keep a frame securely on your head.  There are even cords that will keep your sunglasses afloat, perfect for kayaking.  As with any equipment purchase, better quality eyewear usually costs more but lasts longer and performs better.

DOES THE WORLD LOOK BETTER IN ROSE COLOURED GLASSES?

Different sunglass lens colours will definitely help you see better in specific light conditions.  You can get coloured sunglass lenses for every situation.  In bright sun you want a dark grey or brown lens that lets in only about 15% of light, if you are mountaineering, even darker lenses that only let in 10% are best.  An orange or yellow lens is great for cloudy or low contrast conditions like forest mountain biking, but in really bright conditions they can be hyper bright.  There are more and more sunglasses available with interchangeable lenses which give you flexibility, letting you change the lens colour depending on the conditions.  Some sunglass lenses have antireflective coatings, like you get on camera lenses, these reduce annoying back reflections.

ARE YOU PROTECTED?

UV protection is a must.  UVA and UVB radiation are the ones to be aware of, UVC gets absorbed by the atmosphere.  If you're outdoors a lot you need UV protection to prevent possible cataracts and UV related eye conditions in the future.  Most brand name sunglasses are 100% UVA and UVB blocking.  Polycarbonate lenses are the safest option for sunglasses.  They are super impact resistant plastic and could save your eyes from a falling rock whilst rock climbing or flicked up stone from a truck when you're cycling.  Watch out for kamikaze flies blinding you when you're doing 70km/hr downhill on your mountain bike by wearing a clear or light orange coloured wrap around shield.

GLARE GET YOU?

Reflected light glare like you see on a shiny road surface can be really debilitating and the lens to beat this is a polarised sunglass.  The difference between a normal sunglass and a polarised lens has to be seen to be believed.  It's what trout fishermen use to spot fish in the water.  If you are kayaking or near the water a lot this lens is for you.

DID YOU GET BLINDED?

When you're on the or ice watch out for snow blindness or photokeratitis.  This is where the sensitive front surface of the eye, the cornea, basically gets sunburnt and it really hurts.  Not straight away, but later that night you'll know about it.  That's why you have to wear sunglasses that are 100% UV blocking when you're on the mountain or ice.

CAN YOU SEE?

When your mates say, "lets head towards that outcrop by the yellow bush", can you actually see it?  If you are finding distance detail a bit hard to see maybe you need your eyes tested by an Optometrist.  There are lots of options for people who can't see well to see and do their sport.

GLASSES OR CONTACT LENSES MIGHT BE THE SOLUTION?

Would you wear your work shoes to go for a mountain run?  No, so why wear your nice glasses for sport.  Those of you who wear glasses can now wear purpose-made adventure sunglasses like the Adidas Explorer.  A frame like this has it all.  It can take an optical insert that holds your prescription lenses behind the lenses so you can see, it has a detachable headband; great for mountaineering and sweat brow bridge and interchangeable coloured lenses. 

A lot of sunglasses can take prescription lenses however you may be restricted with some wrap around styles as the lens optics can get a bit distorted the more curved the lens is.  Contact lenses are the best option for vision correction as they give you peripheral vision and true magnification of objects, i.e. they look the correct size.  You don't get steamed up glasses or rain running down the lenses.  You can wear those cool sunglasses and see!  There are even continuous wear contact lenses that you can leave in for 30 days and nights and not have to take them out or clean them, fantastic for camping, multi day events and mountaineering.  If your Optometrist has previously advised you that your prescription is unsuitable for contact lenses you may want to check again as there have been a lot of developments in contact lens technology.

I hope this info will encourage you to get out there and make the most of your vision using these tips.  Check out the various options available - it may give you an "edge" over your competition and it will make a difference to your visual enjoyment of whatever sport you do.

AUTHOR JEREMY WONG IS AN OPTOMETRIST WHO SPECIALISES IN SPORTS VISION SOLUTIONS AND SPORTS EYEWEAR AND CAN BE CONTACTED AT:
jeremy@ellerslieeyecare.co.nz

Copyright 2002