Why These Aren't Your Parent's Sunglasses...
Technology – many people think it only applies to our gadgets, like iPhones, computers and cars.
But technology goes far beyond that to items like - you guessed it - sunglasses. Thanks to advances in manufacturing and engineering, those objects you place over your eyes can do some extraordinary things.
Today, the best sunglasses are designed to suit your needs, whether you are a professional athlete or a weekend warrior.
Just how specialized can you get? There are sunglasses made for runners, golfers, fishermen, volleyball players and pilots. Of course, those same sunglasses are ideal for the average person who simply wants to protect their eyes year-round.
Costa has developed a niche as one of the premier brands for anglers. Just how important are sunglasses for fishermen? In the video below, Oliver White says they are at the top of the list. “I mean, you’re out there all day and you’re looking and if you can’t find them [fish], you can’t catch them,” he says.
The brand is known for its polarized lenses which boost the reds, greens and blues, making them ideal for a day on the water. Or as White explains, “you get to see things other people don’t see.”
Thanks to technology sunglasses are more comfortable than they have ever been before. With Costa, they are designed so the wearer does not even feel like they are there. And with a hydrolite lining, the brand will sit comfortably on your face, without sliding off, all day long.
Another brand that has taken technology to the next level is Nike utilizing Max Optics which does not distort objects straight ahead. Hence, its tagline: “See sport better.”
Golfers can enhance their game thanks to Nike’s transition lenses (check out the Show X1 or Skylon Ace Pro) which dims the sun and brightens shadows so players can better see the details of the ball, its lie and the green ahead.
Runners can also benefit from the design of the Nike lenses which are tinted so that high frequency light is reduced and eye fatigue is minimized. This way your eyes are relaxed and your body is focused solely on one thing: running.
When it comes to sunglasses, one of the most popular names is Oakley. There’s good reason for that – the brand is at the forefront of technological innovation.
As this blog by fitness guru John Stone points out, sunglasses are important for avid cyclists like himself because they help “discern road hazards and help protect our eyes from eye-drying wind, stinging rain, dust, bits of gravel and flying insects.”
Oakley’s High Definition Optics (HDO) lenses are built to ensure athletes, including cyclists, have the clearest vision possible. Its HDO lenses meet or exceed the following testing standards of the American National Standards Institute (the benchmark of performance in the industry):
- Clarity Test – Measures the sharpness of images viewed through the lens
- Refractive Power Test – Measures how inferior lenses distort vision by magnifying images
- Prism Test – Measures how the lenses bend light and make objects appear shifted from their true position
With its unique switchlock technology, Oakley provides its users with the ability to easily swap out lenses to adapt to any environment and to deal with the ever-changing weather and light conditions.
And Oakley sunglasses are known for their durability thanks to its Plutonite lenses that are intended to protect your eyes in case of an accident.
These are just a sampling of the advancements that have been made in the sunglass industry in recent years. It’s all meant to benefit you, the consumer, giving you a better product that will enhance your vision, whether you are running, driving, golfing, bicycling, fishing or simply spending a day at the beach.