Active Eyewear: Common Sense for Work and Play

/ Active Wear, Prescription Eyewear, Sunglasses, Vision Health / By

For many, eye protection is the last thing they think about when heading out for a day of fun biking, hiking, or out on the water. After all, what could go wrong?

Lots.

Where there is motion, there is danger . . . especially for your eyes.

Watch any one of the popular do it yourself shows, and you’ll routine see the carpenters, designers, and other laborers donning protective eyewear. It’s both commonplace and common sense.

Protective eyewear for recreational activities should be commonplace as well. From dust and sand, to pointy branches, to flying insects, and even errant toys, each represents a potential hazard for your eyes just waiting to happen.

  • Cyclists wear all sorts of protective gear, from knee and elbow pads to helmets and protective footwear.
  • Hikers pay all sorts of attention to proper footwear, suitable clothing, and lightweight gear to make their outings more enjoyable and safer.
  • Boaters and water sports enthusiasts will likely obsess over floatation devices, outerwear, and the condition of their gear, but when it comes to protective eyewear, it generally shows up much lower on the list.

UV Protection

First and foremost, all active eyewear designed for outdoors needs to provide 100% UV protection to guard your eyes from the sun. It’s really no different than lubing up with sunscreen to protect your skin. Your eyes deserve protection as well.

From macular degeneration to cataract formation to corneal sunburn and a range of other sun-eye related conditions, exposure to UV rays is bad news for your peepers. So at a bare minimum, don’t venture out without protecting your eyes from the sun with sunglasses that filter out 99 to 100% of UV rays. Most sunglasses that offer this level of protection will have a sticker on them labeling them as 100% UV protecting.

Polarized Lenses

Protective eyewear can also enhance vision by reducing glare and improving clarity in in bright, sunny conditions, which is especially helpful for people who spend a lot of time on the water, boating, fishing, and surfing. Polarized lenses are especially good for reducing glare. While what you see with polarized lenses tends to appear a bit darker than normal, objects look crisper and clearer, and details are usually easier to see. As with UV protecting lenses, polarized lenses are usually labeled.

Impact Resistance

When you’re in motion, the world around you is in motion too, at least relative to you, and often at higher speeds than normal. Dust, dirt, low-hanging branches, whip-like bushes, flotsam and other unexpected waterborne debris or even playthings impacting your eyes can put an abrupt end to an otherwise enjoyable activity. Luckily, there are a number of high-quality sunglasses that offer added protection for your outdoor activities in the form of impact resistance.

One such example is Gatorz, which makes frames from military grade aluminum that is lightweight, durable, and adjustable. Their lenses are made of impact resistant polycarbonate and provide 100% UV protection. In addition, the company’s proprietary TruRay optics lens technology greatly enhances visual clarity, allowing users to experience crystal clear, glare free vision.

Recommended Brands for Active Lifestyles

There are many, MANY sunglass brands to choose from. Distinctions between brands range from styles, colors, the type of material used in the frames, the types of activities they’re designed for, and (of course) cost.

Here is a short list of some of the brands that Sunglass and Optical Warehouse recommends most for watersports, hiking, and cycling.

These represent only a snapshot of the more than 60 brands and 7,000 frames you can choose from at our main showroom on Sports Arena Boulevard, off Kurtz Street, in San Diego. You can also shop for them in our online store.

Protect Your Eyes with Sunglass & Optical Warehouse

At Sunglass and Optical Warehouse, our skilled team of optometrists, opticians, and other eye care professionals can help you explore our active eyewear collections to find a look and a style that’s right for you and your lifestyle.

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