prescription sunglasses
Prescription sunglasses come with a corrective recommendation as prescribed by your eye specialist. The correction is incorporated into the lenses; prescription sunshades are ideal if you have myopia (shortsightedness), hypermetropia (farsightedness) astigmatism (blurred vision) and presbyopia (lens of the eye getting affected by aging) which are refractive error issues.
Types of prescription sunglasses
You can get prescription sunglasses for all kinds of problems, and the options include progressive lenses and bifocals. Progressives don’t have a visible dividing line and provide a smooth vision range.
Clip-ons can be bought along with frames to ensure that you have the right fit. Clip-ons are an inexpensive option. The other option is to use glasses with photochromic lenses which gets darkened when they are exposed to ultra-violet rays. If you need bifocals for purposes of reading, you can include the bifocal lens to your sunglasses.
How to choose your frames
When you choose a frame for your prescription sunglasses, you would first need to consider the prescription, see the type of lens that has been recommended, note the papillary distance which is normally in the 58-64 range. You would also need to take into account the shape of your face, its size, nose and shape of your cheeks.
If the prescription is over 2.00 D, you should not choose a wraparound frame. A flat frame is ideal if the prescription is over 3.00 D. D here refers to diopter, which is a measure of the optical power of a lens.
High minus prescription (above 4.00) would require you to opt for a flat frame which is small. For progressive lenses, you would need to steer clear of a wraparound frame. If the PD is lower than 60 mm, you should opt for a smallish frame.
Sunglasses lenses
Prescription sunglasses lenses come in a variety of materials such as polycarbonate, regular plastic, glass and high-index. An important aspect to consider while buying prescription sunglasses is to ensure that the lens blocks all UV rays.
Polarized sunglasses that add protection from glare caused due to surfaces such as water, snow or sand are also a good idea. Prescription sunglasses are a good idea even for those who wear contact lens, especially if you happen to be outdoors, either at the beach or in windy/sunny conditions.
