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New Technologies In High Performance Sunglasses

By: Geoffrey Holdermiller When the sun is bright and you put your sunglasses on do you ever think about how they work? The thought has probably never crossed your mind. Although if you were to go shopping for a new pair of high performance sunglasses that thought may pop into your head when you see how many choices there actually are today. Lets explore the technological advances in todays eyewear so when that day comes around you will be better equipped to make that decision.

The choices available to you in the high performance eyewear market are seemingly endless. The simple sunglasses of years prior have turned into a complex maze of choices. Probably the most important feature to look for in a good pair of sunglasses is the protection from ultraviolet rays but they should also protect you from light itself. Quality shade can also protect your eyes from glare and eliminate specific frequencies of light. Some of those frequencies of light can actually blur your vision while other enhance contrast.

Advance technologies in high performance eyewear include tinting, UV coating, anti reflective coatings, scratch resistant coatings, polarization, and even mirroring. Polarized lenses are actually treated with a chemical film which eliminates glare. The tint used in the lens controls what parts of the light spectrum they absorb. There is a light which hits the back of the lens and then bounces back into the eye. This is controlled with anti reflective coatings and UV coatings eliminate the harmful UV radiation from entering your eye.

Light is polarized when the light waves are aligned into one or more planes of direction. The chemical compounds used in the films which are applied to the lens are composed of molecules that align in parallel relation to one another. When they are applied evenly to a lens, the molecules create a microscopic filter that absorbs light which matches their alignment. When wearing high performance eyewear with polarized lenses you will enjoy a clearer view and eliminate glare.

Glass lenses are rarely used today even though glass is very scratch resistant. There are several new technologies in lenses which are widely used today. One is CR-39 which is a plastic made from a resin that meets optical quality standards. Another new technology is a synthetic plastic called polycarbonate and it is very strong and lightweight. Polycarbonate is also extremely impact resistant. You will find it used in the majority of high performance sunglasses.

Polycarbonate and glass lenses are distortion free and the colors are evenly distributed across each lens. Distortion is very common in cheap sunglasses. There is an easy way to tell if the lenses in a pair of sunglasses are of good quality. Find a surface with parallel lines and hold the sunglasses a short distance away from your face and cover one eye. Look through one of the lenses at the lines while moving the sunglasses slowly up and down and then from right to left. The lines should remain straight as you look at them. If they don't then the lenses are not optical quality.

Manufacturers have developed ways to add coatings to lenses to increase their scratch resistance because plastics are not nearly as scratch resistant as glass. These coatings are made of polycrystalline diamond and diamond-like carbon or DLC. They use ionization to create a thin but durable film on the lens. These coatings help keep scratches to a minimum on you lenses.

The comfort provided by today's high performance sunglasses is due to their ability to control visible light or white light. There are varying levels of control available. Smoke colored tinted lenses provide true color while brown lenses increase depth perception and contrast. Yellow tints actually brighten hazy days and clear lenses are available that block 100% of UV radiation.

I hope this article will help you make an informed decision when you purchase your next pair of high performance sunglasses. Remember that everyones situation is different so buy the sunglasses that will provide you the most protection and comfort possible.

Article Source: http://www.lifeweightloss.com

Before you buy anything online be sure to check out Geoffrey Holdermiller's site for additional great articles about eye health and examples of technologically advanced High Performance Sunglasses and High Performance Eyewear

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