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Whether you enjoy tennis, hiking, bicycling, running, or another outdoor sport, the benefits of exercise, especially exercise in the great outdoors, are many. However, one part of your body that might not appreciate so much time spent outside is your eyes.
The sun’s UV rays are quite damaging to these delicate windows to the world. Excessive exposure to the sun can cause cataracts, eye cancers, macular degeneration, and keratitis, just to name a few. Add in wind, dust, and squinting due to overly bright light, and the problem becomes even worse.
So, do lovers of the outdoors have to settle for staying inside? Not if they have a good pair of sports sunglasses. These shades go far beyond the average sunglasses in protecting eyes and vision from the sun’s damaging rays.
While your regular sunglasses might look great as you drive around town on errands, their main function is looking stylish. Protection from UV rays is more of a secondary purpose.
Sports sunglasses, on the other hand, are designed specifically to protect your eyes as much as possible from UV rays, dust, dirt, and wind. Most of the benefits of sports sunglasses are in their design:
They wrap slightly — or a lot, in some cases — around your eyes, rather than sitting in front as regular sunglasses do.
Most have nonslip nosepieces, so you won’t lose them while you bike or run.
Sports sunglasses generally have polycarbonate lenses. Some are made with an even stronger plastic, such as Trivex.
Many sports sunglasses have adjustable frames, so you can tweak them for the perfect fit.
The lenses come in a wide range of colors that are suited to outdoor activities.
Some sports sunglasses allow you to switch out the lenses so you can match light intensity or color needs.
The best sports sunglasses block not only 100% of UV light, but also high-energy visible radiation (HEV), otherwise known as blue light. These are often labelled “Blue Blockers.”
Good sports sunglasses are injection-molded into their wrapped shape, which lowers the amount of distortion through the lenses. Lower-quality sunglasses are bent into shape after production, which distorts vision.
Unlike regular sunglasses, which usually have either a gray or brown tint, sports sunglasses can be found in a wide range of tints.
While the perfect color for your lenses is, to a certain extent, simply a matter of style and preference, it’s also true that the right sunglass lens tint can help you in your preferred sport by increasing contrast between your object of focus and the background.
Gray is a neutral tint. It’s good for just about any activity in bright outdoor light.
Green lenses provide just a little bit of contrast, but they don’t interfere with color perception and are excellent for sports like baseball and golf.
Brown or dark amber lenses block a great deal of blue light. They’re a suitable choice for sports where you want contrast against sky or grass, such as golf, bicycling, hunting, and water sports.
Red or pink lenses distort color, but they’re helpful in cloudy conditions where you need a lot of contrast, such as hunting, skiing, water sports, and cycling.
Yellow or orange lenses provide excellent contrast, but they distort color. As such, they’re best for overcast or low-light situations and for indoor sports like handball and racquetball.
The darkness of your sunglasses is another factor to consider. Obviously, if you have very light-sensitive eyes, you’ll want darker lenses. The same applies if you spend concentrated amounts of time in bright, sunny areas.
But if you mainly cycle in the early morning — or if you live in an often-cloudy climate — you would probably be happy with lighter lenses.
Sports sunglass manufacturers use visible light transmission (VLT) to indicate how much light the lenses allow to pass through. The lower the VLT, the less light that passes through the lenses. Often, the VLT is given as a category from 0 to 4.
Category 0: These are for use in very low light or nighttime conditions.
Category 1: These glasses are good for cloudy or poorly lit locations. They’re also suitable for use early in the morning or at dusk.
Category 2: These glasses are designed for use in average lighting. This is the best bet for most people.
Category 3: Sunglasses in this category are good if you’ll be wearing them mostly on bright, sunny days.
Category 4: These sunglasses are designed for the brightest conditions, such as snow skiing on a very bright day
You’ll find sport sunglasses with prices ranging from $15 to $150.
Generally, the cheapest sunglasses are the least likely to fully protect your eyes from 100% of UV rays and are much less likely to block out HEV.
The most expensive sunglasses will provide you with excellent protection, superb fit, and a range of colors to choose from.
But for most people, sport sunglasses towards the middle of the price range will be just right.
Q. What are polarized lenses, and should I make sure my sports sunglasses have them?
A. Coated with a film to protect the eyes, polarized lenses reduce glare more than regular lenses. You may find it easier to see clearly when wearing polarized lenses than non-polarized lenses.
Athletes who work and play outside — runners, golfers, cyclists — appreciate polarized lenses in particular. However, not all sports sunglasses include polarized lenses. If this feature is important to you, check the specs before investing in a new pair of sports eyewear.
Q. I’m intrigued by the thought of owning a high-quality pair of sunglasses. But what if I spend a lot of money and then break them?
A. Ideally, the pair of sunglasses you buy will be extremely durable and capable of withstanding all types of abuse. Lots of high-end sports sunglasses come with some sort of manufacturer protection to help allay consumer fears about breakage. If you’re concerned, look for a manufacturer that stands by its lens and frame quality.
Q. Can I put my prescription lenses in a pair of sports sunglasses?
A. Some sports sunglass frames can accommodate prescription lenses. For example, EyeLove offers several frame designs that will do this. But not all manufacturer models do, so be sure to read the fine print on any pair of shades you buy if this is your goal.
