By Mike Battistoni:
The change in seasons is the perfect time to purchase a new pair of sunglasses because sunglass companies come out with new styles, and the industry is constantly updating technology to protect your eyes. There are thousands of stylish, colorful options on the market, but your first priority should be eye protection. The lens materials, color of the lenses and the coatings defend your eyes from the dangers of the sun, and there are different options for different outdoor light conditions.
Choosing the right lens material for how you use your sunglasses is also important. Glass lenses offer the clearest edge-to-edge optics. However, glass lenses are not designed for active sports where they might get bumped or fall off your face and break. If you wear your glasses for outdoor sports consider purchasing polycarbonate or some of the new hybrid lenses that offer the crisp optics of glass, but provide scratch- and impact-resistance.
If you wear prescription glasses, consider prescription sunglasses because they offer crisper vision than wearing contacts with sunglasses. Maui Jim makes prescription sunglasses fabricated with digital precision to produce wider, clearer, more vivid views, without glare or harmful UV. If you need up-close vision to read maps, record golf scores, tie fishing knots, or make cell phone calls, consider some of the new sunglasses with readers embedded in the lenses.
The trends this year point to an abundance of colorful frames that celebrate the vibrancy in the world around us—amethyst, cinnamon, honey, chocolate, green, ruby, mauve, smoke grey and sandstone. Sunglass shapes are reminiscent of classic styles from the past, but have been updated to fit today’s fashions. Rounded squares and squared ovals are back in force. Soft cat-eye and wayfarer shapes make a strong retro-fashion statement. Styles that feature burnished metals and strong patterns are hot right now. The tortoise shell-look is back, but it’s been updated with more colorful, aggressive patterns. Textures of wood and shell are popular. The classic aviator has been updated with both single- and double-bridges, larger teardrop frames or slightly squared shapes. Companies like Maui Jim have expanded their lines to include a wide range of frame materials and lenses.
When shopping for sunglasses, remember that good sunglasses are about eye protection. First decide when and how you wear your sunglasses; then choose a lens material, lens color and fashion-forward frame style that offer features for the activities in which you wear them.
Mike Battistoni is the Fishing & Marine Specialist at Maui Jim, the world’s fastest growing maker of premium polarized sunglasses. For more information on their more than 98 styles of sunglasses, visit MauiJim.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest at @OfficialMauiJim.
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