How to Tell the Difference Between Good and Bad Quality Sunglasses

Sunglasses are a lot more than an attractive accessory you wear during the summer. Your safety must be your priority when choosing your new pair. We are sure you want to follow the trends every year, so spending a lot of money can be a huge challenge, but at the same time, you can go for classical models that will always provide the proper protection to your eyes and the surrounding area on your face. Buying a quality pair is an investment because you will wear them for years, every season you need it. It’s completely wrong to believe that you only need darker lenses you can see through. Low-quality models are putting you at risk of skin burns or severe eye damage.

You may have a lot of questions, including is there any difference between $5 and $50 models? Yes, there is and it’s named quality. If you try to remember some things from your past, you will surely recall that sometimes, you had dry eyes after a whole day out, wearing your fancy sunglasses. But, while we are young, our body can easily repair by itself, and we see no issue with that. As we get older, our body needs more effort to keep us healthy, and sometimes really struggle to keep a step with our unhealthy activities. As you can see on quivedo, it’s always a good idea to invest in eyewear, so you can protect yourself, and still be fancy and modern.

As an adult, you have to finally give up on that cheap and potentially dangerous sunglasses and always go for quality ones. But, how to recognize them? Is there any way to tell the difference between the good and bad models? Can you still get a nice pair for a more affordable price? We have the answers.

1. Polarized lenses are a must

They are specially created to filter the damaging light and protect your eyes. It’s not enough for them to be just darker. Quality pair is covered with a polarized layer that blocks the UV rays and protects your eyes. Also, you can see through them nicely, like there is nothing on you. At the same time, they are comfortable to wear, and the image through them is sharp. If it’s foggy and you can’t see things through them, probably it’s a bad pair of sunglasses and not worth buying it.

2. There is a UV protection label

Every legit pair of sunglasses should have this label on them. The trustworthy brands will always pay attention to the quality, without letting their loyal clients wear something that can be damaging for them. This label is an indicator of the level of protection. Usually, the UV 400 label means they protect you from wavelengths up to 400 nanometers, which are the specters of the UVA and UVB lights. If the pair you grabbed doesn’t have any label, then we are sorry to inform you it’s only dark and see-through plastic, that can cause burns and won’t provide any protection to you.

3. Sunglasses have an expiration date too

Surely, it’s not provided by the manufacturer, but an average pair will last up to three years before the polarized layer is damaged and expired. As time goes by, you won’t get the same protection as when the pair was completely new. After a few years of active use, the lenses can get damaged, even if you are keeping the pair in a box, covered with a soft cloth. But, all those rays, sweat, and cleaning and polishing products can affect their quality and performance over time.

4. The test with a UV light

Many of us already have UV flashlights at home, and we can bring them to the shop, to test the sunglasses we like. Shine the lamp against a white surface and then put the lenses between. You will immediately see the difference. Another more accurate test is to use the money for that. As you probably know, the UV lights will uncover the watermarks on the money, and when you put the lenses between, the watermarks will disappear. But, if it blocks the visible light, then you won’t be able to see through while wearing, so you need to be careful with that aspect too. You must see through them, but also make sure they will block the damaging wavelengths.

5. Consult an optician

If you have issues with your eyes, you must use special sunglasses that will provide additional protection for your condition. Or even if you don’t have anything like that, it’s always a nice idea to bring your new pair to your optician, so you both can check the quality. Usually, these people are optometrists too and have the needed equipment to check on the lenses and estimate if they are good to wear or not.

6. Trends can be damaging

We all want to look fancy throughout the whole year, and a lot of people really need to wear sunglasses even when there is snow and rain outside. But the dangerous UV rays can go through the clouds too and anyway reach your skin and eyes. Consider buying quality sunglasses as an investment, because trends are only temporary, and it’s not worth investing in them. Also, you can still have a cheap pair of sunglasses, but you must be careful how do you use them. Don’t expose yourself to direct sunlight while wearing them, and you can be sure you are doing great in protecting your eyes from sun damage.

Conclusion

When we are talking about sunglasses that can directly protect or damage our eyes, we must be aware that everything comes with a price. Quality products are pricier, and that’s expected since the materials are more expensive. Following the trends is nice, but not at any cost, especially if that cost includes your healthy pair of eyes you will need for the lifetime.

So, don’t hesitate and don’t set for less when you are buying sunglasses.