All About Sunglasses

Any time of year, sunglasses should be a part of your daily heath-consciousness routine. Sunglasses are not just for summers on the beach anymore or just for looking cool and mysterious. Designer sunglasses are no longer just for wealthy movie stars. Sunglasses are crucial in protecting your eyes from the permanent damaging effects of Ultra Violet radiation.

Sunglasses in some form have been around for a very long time. Roman Emperor Nero made sunglasses by watching gladiator competitions through polished light emerald green gems held up to his eyes. The true invention of sunglasses was somewhere between 1268 and 1289.

Before 1430, smoky quartz, flat-paned sunglasses were worn by Judges in the Courts of China to conceal any expression in their eyes. Prescription sunglasses were developed in Italy in 1430 and were later used by the Chinese Judges. In the mid 18th Century, James Ayscough developed blue and green corrective lenses, beginning the use of sunglasses for correcting optical impairments.

Until 1730 when Edward Scarlett invented hardened sidepieces, there were problems in keeping eyeglasses propped on the nose. Glasses frames had been made from leather, bones and metal and sidepieces began as silk strips of ribbon that looped around the ears. Instead of loops, the Chinese added ceramic weights to the ends of the ribbons. Benjamen Franklin's invention of bifocal lenses followed in 1780.

By the 20th Century, sunglasses were used to protect the eyes from the sun. In 1929 Sam Foster's "Foster Grants" were the first mass-produced sunglasses and they began the trend of sunglasses for fashion.

In the 1930's the Army Air Corps asked Bausch & Lomb to develop sunglasses that would efficiently reduce high-altitude sun glare for pilots and they came up with dark green tinted sunglasses that absorbed light through the yellow spectrum.

Edward H. Land had invented the Polaroid filter and by 1936 he used it in making sunglasses and soon, sunglasses became "cool." Movies stars began wearing sunglasses to hide behind and for fashion. Aviator glasses became popular with the movie stars and the general public in 1937 after Ray Ban developed the anti-glare sunglasses using polarization. The longer lens was created to give more protection to pilots' eyes from light reflecting off their control panels.

By the 1970's Hollywood stars and fashion designers made a huge impact on the sunglasses market. Clothing designers and stars put their names on glasses and sunglasses and everyone had to have them. In 2007, stars are still hiding behind their oversized designer sunglasses, making fashion statements and protecting their eyes from the harmful effects of the Ultra Violet radiation.

Today's trendy designer sunglasses are a status symbol; however, in order to be fashionable in sunglasses, you do not have to give up quality. Quality designer sunglasses can be polarized to reduce the glare of sunlight reflecting off surfaces like the highway, cars, water or snow. Polarized sunglasses work by blocking off horizontal light reflections and only let in vertical light reflections. The polarization of designer sunglasses makes them fashionable in other areas of lifestyle like golfing, boating, biking, swimming, fishing and aircraft flying.

Marketers of designer sunglasses target children who choose the same hot styles and brand-names as their parents and their idols. Sunglasses for children have Disney and cartoon characters in many colors, shapes and styles. Children's designer sunglasses can also be polarized to block the harmful UV radiation.

With modern technology and improvements, the making of sunglasses continues to evolve. We have gone from holding green gems up to our eyes to Oakley's 2004 sunglasses with digital audio players built in.

When choosing the sunglasses that best fit you, three factors should be considered. First and foremost, sunglasses are used to protect your eyes. A pair of sunglasses that offer no protection can actually be more harm than good. Secondly, your sunglasses should feel comfortable. Finally, you want to look good in your shades, so pick a pair with some consideration of style.

Sunglasses can be made of many different varieties of materials. These materials also carry with them different levels of protection. As you sift through the masses, remember that protection is the reason you are wearing sunglasses. Find out about the level of UV ray protection they offer and avoid those that cannot provide 99-100% protection from UVA and UVB radiation.

Dark sunglasses do less for your eyes than you think. A darker tint makes it more comfortable for you to see in the bright sun. However, if those dark glasses fail in offering the protection you need from harmful rays, they may be causing more harm than good. Dark shaded sunglasses make it easier for you to open your eyes, allowing UVA and UVB rays greater access to your eyes to cause more damage. If forced to choose, you are better off with a pair of sunglasses with UVA protection and a light gray tint than in dark lenses with no UVA protection.

There are also additional measures you can take with your sunglasses to help protect your baby blues (Or your greens, browns and grays. They're all equally important!) Many sunglasses have a wrap-around design that widens around the temples and appears to wrap around your head. This design blocks the sun from the sides of your face, offering greater protection than smaller framed glasses. If your precious eyesight is not enough to convince you to be choosey about your sunglasses, consider one more thing. When you squint your eyes, you are causing your forehead and sides of your face to wrinkle. No one wants crow's feat before their time.

After protection, comfort is the next most important part of picking out your eyewear. Consider the tint of the lens. For very bright settings where the sun has surfaces to reflect off of, polarized lenses may be helpful. Polarized sunglasses reduce the glare caused by the sun hitting the water, snow or other surface. Even though you may be blocking out the harmful UVA and UVB rays, you're not going to care much if you can't see anything.

When you try on sunglasses, pay attention to how they feel on your face. Does the nosepiece rest firmly on the bridge of your nose without sliding? Is the frame a good fit for your face and rests gently over your ears? This is a helpful checklist when sunglass shopping. If the sunglasses are going to cause you discomfort, you'll be more likely to take them off. If that's the case, why have them in the first place?

Although it should never be your number one consideration, fashion should be a factor in the selection of your sunglasses. It is not absolutely necessary that you wear the designs you see celebrities sporting at all times. Those shades may be easier to find than others, but they're not the only ones out there. Pick frames that flatter the shape of your face and complement your style.

A good rule of thumb is to choose a frame shape that is the opposite of your facial shape. A round face goes well with a pair of oval or square sunglasses. The worst shape for the round face is a pair of round frames. Likewise, an thinner or longer face looks great with a pair of round frame sunglasses, but not so much with a square set of frames. Oval shaped faces have their pick of shapes, they are the most versatile. "Lucky!"

Just be smart when shopping for sunglasses. Remember what you're buying them for, and pick styles that complement you. When you choose sunglasses based on these three factors your eyes will thank you. They'll be protected, stylish, happy, and you will be too.