Eyewear Talk

Sometimes finding prescription sunglasses can be frustrating. I have found that ophthalmic eyeglasses are for correction and sunglasses are primarily for protection. The problem can occur when these two ideas meet.

Not every frame works with everyone’s prescription. People with high astigmatism should choose a flat frame as a wrapped frame will cause blurriness and distortion. Every frame has a limit and that limit has to do with how curve or flat the frame is and whether the frame is conducive to your prescription. If you want wrapped prescription sunglasses, there are some manufacturers who offer wraparounds with less extreme curves. However they are still subject to a limited prescription range, it is better to discuss with the optician or a qualified specialist about which frame is right for you. Sometime people have to settle for regular ophthalmic frames with tinted lenses.

Today the trends are large lenses and extreme wraps. This is good if your prescription is within plus or minus 2.00. The rest of us have to pay attention to the limitation of the frames. A good rule to go by: the higher your prescription and the more correction needs you have, the smaller the lenses should be and flatter the frame.

Summer is here, and it’s official. Cookouts, cold beer and cool shades; the 3 C’s. My best buddy loves Prada sunglasses. He recently found out that his perfect vision is no longer perfect. I’ll be honest I don’t feel sorry for him. I am a -5.00 in each eye he’s only -.25. He has it so easy. He can still wear his really cool Prada sunglasses and even with prescription lenses in them. Why his prescription has anything to do with it is because the higher the prescription the more limitations there are. Tyler doesn’t have to worry about the curvature of the frames causing blurriness and distortion.

He was disappointed that his Prada Sunglasses PS50IS from the Prada Linea Rossa eyewear collection would hardly be worn again, only if he was wearing contacts. I hooked him up. I found the Prada Prescription Sunglasses PS50IS and his fears subsided. Not only did he get the same sharp frame but he was able to enhance the value by upgrading the lens. He ordered polycarbonate lenses that are scratch resistant and block UV rays. They are also light weight which is good for a frame this large. Tyler brought it to a whole new level by ordering polarized lenses. Polarized lenses have a filter that blocks blinding glare from light bouncing off of surfaces e.g. the road, the dashboard, windshield and other cars. What he realized was that polarization greatly enhances visual acuity, color contrast and comfort. No other lens or treatment can perform this awesome function. Polarization just can’t be substituted. I work in the eyewear business and I can tell we spend a lot of time together because he also included anti-reflection or AR coating. I was impressed. AR coating is a great feature that removes annoying reflections and ghost images that can be noticed when wearing dark polarized sunglasses. This is applied on the back side of the lenses of sunglasses and on both sides of clear ophthalmic eyewear.

Who said prescription sunglasses had to be boring? Just like the series “Pimp my ride”, well Tyler pimped his Prada sunglasses. He made them 10 times better. 10 time more valuable and made me very proud in the process. I really can’t stand him.