Last fall, after never wearing glasses, I got my first pair of prescription glasses.
I've needed reading glasses for a decade so I've been buying sunglass bifocal readers on the boat so I could read a gps or thread a ring-ding.
I'll need to buy a pair of real prescription sunglasses for this season, any tips for good deals or online purchases? My regular glasses are progressive lens models from Costco. They can make sunglasses out of any of their frames but the selection is limited.
I prefer wrap-around style sunglass frames but those don't seem to be common in prescription lenses.
What say you, fellow four eyes?
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Damon Linkous
I have 2 pairs of progressive sunglasses. One is Costa and the other is Oakley. The Costa's seam to have slightly better quality frames and lenses but the Oakleys are more comfortable so that's what I wear the most. Both were pricey - it's been a couple of years but I think I paid $300 - $400 each with insurance.
This is what I wear: "The Bridgewater Polarized Bifocal Reading Sunglasses" can be found at:
"https://www.readers.com/bridgewater-polarized-bifocal-sun.html?on=Glossy%2BBlack%2Bwith%2BSmoke&showid=41951" Any power bifocal. About 20 bucks. 😀
MN3 wrote: I use these
i'm on my 3rd pair
Do you buy them online?
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Damon Linkous
DamonLinkous wrote: [quote=MN3]I use these
i'm on my 3rd pair
Do you buy them online?
nope - there are lots of lens crafters in the tampa area
mine are progressives, polarized and i get the warranty (if i break a lens or frame it's like a $50 co pay to replace)
they take most insurance or have some "deal" running just about all the time but it's always a few 100 for me
MN3
I've been kind of lucky; my insurance paid for about 1/2 of my prescription sunglasses. AFter having gone through numerous ones, i favor either Maui Jim's for their lenses/coatings or Costas, my current set. The Costas aren't near as comfortable but are way more durable, as far as scratch resistant. Both are wrap-around. I liked the Mauis lenses better for fishing, but don't lose them in the surf! Get some floaties to not lose that investment... I've never regretted good glasses.
Seaspecs for me -- https://www.seaspecs.com/ -- wraparound, buoyant frames (or add a floaty), integrated strap. I've had to re-glue the strap attachment.
They can handle the abuse I give them... 🙂
depending on the frames, you can get tinted glasses from zenni optical for 15-50 dollars per pair, polarized for 30 more. They aren't particularly good, but considering the price and the fact that I lose or destroy them rather quickly, I am satisfied
ziper1221 wrote: depending on the frames, you can get tinted glasses from zenni optical for 15-50 dollars per pair, polarized for 30 more. They aren't particularly good, but considering the price and the fact that I lose or destroy them rather quickly, I am satisfied
Are these prescription lenses? Could you link to the ones you buy?
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Damon Linkous
"depending on the frames, you can get tinted glasses from zenni optical for 15-50 dollars per pair, polarized for 30 more."
be very weary of cheap sun glasses
darker lenses will open your pupils and invite UVA and UVB
"Glasses that don’t block UV rays may offer some relief from visible light and reduce your need to squint, but the additional exposure to UVA and UVB can be harmful. “Let’s suppose you put on a very dark pair of sunglasses,” Bizer says, “Your pupil opens up, it dramatically changes in size from half a millimeter to 5 or 6 millimeters. It’s an enormous increase, and now you’re allowing much more [harmful light] into your eyes than if you didn’t wear the cheap sunglasses at all.”
http://healthland.time.com/2009/08/04/can-cheap-sunglasses-be-bad-for-your-eyes/
MN3
Hopefully you will have better luck: I tried prescription sunglasses and they bothered my eyes for some reason. The first were wrap around. The eye doctor said the angle of the wrap-arounds might have been the issue - my regular glasses do not curve with my face at all. The doc also thought it might be the material used for the lens - consider the 'cheap' comments above. The second pair also, though not wrap-around. I can use clip-ons just fine (and they fit in with my geek vibe!!)
Your pupil opens up, it dramatically changes in size from half a millimeter to 5 or 6 millimeters.
The author is incorrect about minimum size. The human pupil rarely gets smaller than 2mm. I have shined light into and measured easily 10,000 human eyes.
This point, however, does not diminish your point about UVA and UVB.
You are spot on.
The author is incorrect about minimum size. The human pupil rarely gets smaller than 2mm. I have shined light into and measured easily 10,000 human eyes.
Keepin me honest! - i like that
Facts, just the facts please - no need to embellish it
🙂
MN3
MN3 wrote:
be very weary of cheap sun glasses
darker lenses will open your pupils and invite UVA and UVB
/
I always found this reasoning rather specious, as if the lens would specifically pass UV while blocking visible light. (Certainly possible, I suppose, but doesn't mean I like it.)
Anyway, all their lenses except the low index one (which has 90% UV blocking) claim to block 100% UV. I usually get the aviators, something like https://www.zennioptical.com/p/titanium-full-rim-frame/2172?skuId=217212 , just be sure to look at the measurement, you don't want a pair too big or too small. They do have some wrap-around frames, but the one I tried were no good so I never got them again. If you want wrap-arounds I think the only option is to pay a couple hundred bucks.