Sun protection has always been essential, given how excess exposure can pose serious health risks, like long-term damage to the eyes. Over time, overexposure to sunlight can result in vision problems like cataracts and macular degeneration. This is why protective products like sunglasses are essential everyday items.
That said, recent statistics from The Vision Council reveal that globally, almost 198 million adults require vision correction. As such, these individuals require a special type of eyewear that can provide vision correction and protection. Today, two of the most popular options for this are prescription sunglasses and photochromic lenses. However, which one of these works better? Read on to find out more about these products and which you should choose.
Prescription sunglasses
As the name implies, this type of eyewear adds your prescription to standard sunglasses. Apart from their special tints protecting your eyes from ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, these glasses can be fitted with a variety of lenses to satisfy your vision correction needs.
These lens types include single-vision, progressive, concave, and cylindrical lenses. Additionally, prescription sunglasses allow you to make the most of the features of non-prescription sunglasses designs. Take, for instance, polarized lenses found in stylish frame models like the Persol 714SM Steve McQueen and the BVLGARI BV6171. The lenses are coated with a special chemical that purposely blocks bright reflections from passing through the lens, thereby improving visual acuity and comfort. With this, your surroundings look sharper and more detailed.
Photochromic lenses
Unlike prescription sunglasses that retain the same tint, photochromic lenses become darker when exposed to the sun or other UV light sources but remain clear in low light. The darkening happens when embedded molecules of silver halide and chloride are exposed to the sun. This creates a chemical reaction that shifts the molecules, and it absorbs the light, thereby changing the shade of the lens.
The biggest benefit of photochromic lenses is that they eliminate the need to switch between different glasses. This versatility gives you clear vision while providing complete protection from UVA and UVB rays. This is especially important for sports purposes like cycling since the lenses need to adapt on the fly to different light conditions. Models like the Hawk HD Photochromic Sport Sunglasses and the K3 Photochromic Africa are examples of this. The Hawk features white TR90 memory frames with stylish impact-resistant pink lenses, while the K3 offers lightweight PC frames and black anti-fog lenses.
Verdict
Overall, both of these lens types provide clear vision and protection from UV rays. But if you have to choose, consider when or where you’ll be using them. For stylish jaunts where you’ll be under the sun for extended periods, go for prescription sunnies. Meanwhile, if you’ll be switching between low and high light, especially in competitive environments, photochromic lenses may be a more convenient choice.
Whatever you choose in your future shopping decisions, be assured neither of these will let you down. Visit our webpage, the Wired Shopper, for good deals on a wide array of products. You can choose from computers, accessories, WiFi, gaming, and streaming devices.