FASHIONABLE SPECTACLE FRAMES

We have one of the highest levels of UV exposure and highest rates of skin cancer in the world. You  can still get burnt on cool or cloudy days from from UVB and HEV (high energy visible)though lower energy than UVA rays, they penetrate deeply into the eye and can cause retinal damage. UV levels are proportionally greater in higher altitudes distance to the earth’s equator.

UVA are the most prevalent and penetrating rays during all daylight hours throughout the year causing wrinkles, sun spots,skin cancer
UVB causes more sunburn but more prevalent in the middle of the day
UVC rays are absorbed by the ozone layer and generally don’t reach the earth’s surface. there are germicidal disinfectant uses of man-made UVC radiation  such as in hospital settings.
 UV and HEV levels are greater in wide open spaces, especially when highly reflective surfaces are present, like snow and sand.

UV damage can also depend upon a person’s medications such as tetracycline, sulfa drugs, birth control pills, diuretics and tranquillisers, increasing the body’s sensitivity.

Options include

Prescription sunglasses to see more clearly and safely for work and leisure. Cyclists eg can benefit by tailored solutions,

NuPolar Infinite Gray Polarised Rx sunglass lenses 

• Lightest state – 60% tint. •  Darkest state – 91% tint.
• Blocks blinding glare.
•  Polarization efficiency – 99%.
• 100% UV blockage.
•  Reacts quickly  to both UV and  visible  light.
•   Activates moderately behind the  windscreen.
•  Affordable photochromic polarization. Degree of photochromic activation dependent on windscreen’s total light transmission and UV light absorption characteristics.

Glare-reducing
UV protective
Safety fire goggles and safety spectacles for projectiles, radiation
Polarising
Antifogging, anti-reflective and anti-scratch treatments.
Catering for digital eyestrain and filtering toxic wavelengths
Dedicated pairs or combined as in progressive lenses for the ideal working range, ergonomics, and postural comfort
Driving glasses to improve reaction times, road safety and to reduce fatigue
Sports specific goggles, safety, and wrap glasses  

Fogging is caused by water vapour condensation. This condensation occurs when water vapour from sweat, breath, and ambient humidity lands on the cold surface of your lenses. The vapour cools and changes into tiny drops of liquid, forming a film that you see as fog.

Most anti-fog lenses use anti-fogging agents, which are chemicals that prevent water condensation in tiny droplets. The treatments work by minimising surface tension, resulting in a non-scattering film of water instead of single droplets.
The water vapour will still condense over time but is typically slowed down. The length of the delay depends on the quality of the anti-fog treatment and environmental conditions.
Many anti-reflection coatings that offer anti-fog agents on lenses typically don’t last because day to day cleaning destroys it.
The correct “fog sticks” or cloths and sprays can help. This way, it’s fog-resistant for when you need it to be.
The chemicals in the cloth will prevent water condensation.

The hydrophobic (repelling water) / oleophobic (repel oils) characteristic of coatings do vary widely. Opposite to a contact lens surface (ideally hydrophilic), fluids ideally roll off easily, so droplets need to sit up very high on the surface. As these topcoats are very thin, they do wear off over time; how much they wear off depends on a wide variety of factors, but they are suitable for 2 – 3 yrs on average usage.

Coating quality is such a broad spectrum depending on a considerable number of factors from:
• the makeup of the different layers
• the thickness of the layers
• the process
• the substrate, including how the material is polymerised, how the liquid monomer is treated before polymerisation, etc.
• the hard coating materials

Optifog cloth is an activator to go with the molecular nature of the optifog lens coating.

Glare experienced outdoors can be classified according to the way it impacts the eye and the quality of vision.
Some types of glare are merely annoying and can lower vision quality, whereas other types of glare are dangerous and can cause great discomfort and even pain. Only quality polarized lenses provide a solution for each category of glare. Ordinary tinted lenses cannot eliminate each type of glare patients are exposed to in day-to-day life.There’s only a few instances in which polarized lenses may not be the best solution, such as pilots when flying a plane where cross polarisation could occur.

Blinding or reflected glare is the most dangerous type of glare and the biggest safety risk because it can block or seriously obscure vision.
Blinding glare can also cause significant discomfort and even pain. This type of glare is created when light is reflected off shiny or smooth surfaces such as roads, water, sand, wet surfaces, or chrome and shiny surfaces inside a car. Only polarized lenses can block this type of glare.
Disabling glare is light from a direct light source such as that experienced when facing the sun.
This glare can cause discomfort and can obscure vision, thereby diminishing vision quality.

Discomforting glare can occur at any time of the day or in any weather condition.
It is when the eye is unable to naturally adapt to certain conditions such as moving from shade into bright sunlight. It can cause short-lived eye fatigue.
Due to the safety risk of blinding glare, a polarized lens is the optimal outdoor lens solution for most people.

Not to mention increased quality of vision one can experience: colours are more vibrant and brilliant, contrast increased and depth perception enhanced, in addition to greater comfort and safety on the road and elsewhere.