Feb 2, 2010

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Where and When to Wear Sunglasses

You may have a favorite pair of sunglasses that goes great with a certain outfit.  You might also have a tendency to wear a pair of sunglasses you just got religiously…for a week.  Then you never pick them up again.  Sunglasses do you no good on your dresser or in the visor of your car.  It is important to wear sunglasses at all the appropriate and important times.

Of course, a blanket statement is to say that all sunglasses should be worn at all times during the day.  Ideally this is great, but do you know why it is more important to wear them sometimes and other times not as pertinent?  There are certain high risk activities, times, and locations that warrant special sunglass consideration.  If you wear sunglasses no other time, these are the most important occasions.

Summertime is the most dangerous season for your eyes.  You are at least three times more likely to cause serious sun damage to your eyes in the summer than you are in the winter.  This is because the sun produces three times more ultraviolet radiation in the form of UVA and UVB rays during the summer than any other season.  Aside from this, there are clear and obvious reasons you would want to utilize sunglasses more in the summer than the rest of the year.

The sun is out in full force during the hot summer months, and most people like to spend their free time outside when they can.  The light and heat of the midday summer sun is enough to leave anyone reaching for the SPF 45.  So if you are so protective of your skin, why wouldn’t you be equally concerned about your eyes?  Summer is the most important time for sunglasses to be worn.  Make sure you have a trusted pair of shades before hitting the beach with July.

Some medications can cause people to experience photosensitivity.  This heightened sensitivity to sunlight can cause increased discomfort if sunglasses are not in place.  Medications to treat psoriasis, some birth controls and even pills for skin treatment can cause photosensitivity.  When this happens, you won’t have to be reminded to bring the sunglasses along.  The inability to open your eyes for longer than ten seconds will let you know that it is time to go shopping for shades.

Winter sports enthusiasts often forget about the importance of sunglasses.  When you are sailing down the mountain with the fresh cold air in your face, it is easy to forget that the sun is alive and well here too.  Although the sun may not shine as brightly or produce as much heat as other times and places, the damage it causes can be the same or worse.  The white of the snow reflects the harmful rays of the sun directly into your eyes if not properly protected by sunglasses.  Some people will not realize until much later that their eyes have been burned, but it is not something they will soon forget.

Water sports are another occasion in which a dependable pair of sunglasses will save much hardship.  While surfing, wake boarding or water skiing, you may be aware of the sun above you.  However, what may not be as prevalent is the fact that the sun is reflecting off of the water and straight into your eyes.  Just as it does with snow, the sun wreaks havoc on eyes unprotected by sunglasses.

It should go without saying that sunglasses are almost always a good idea.  Any daytime outdoor event is an occasion for the sun to damage your eyes if you are not wearing sunglasses.  Avoid a lifetime of suffering by making the right decision now.  When you’re headed outside for any reason and the sun is going to be attending also, grab the sunglasses. You’ll thank yourself later.

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Dec 8, 2009

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All About Sunglasses

Any time of year, sunglasses should be a part of your daily heath-consciousness routine.  Sunglasses are not just for summers on the beach anymore or just for looking cool and mysterious.  Designer sunglasses are no longer just for wealthy movie stars.  Sunglasses are crucial in protecting your eyes from the permanent damaging effects of Ultra Violet radiation.

Sunglasses in some form have been around for a very long time.  Roman Emperor Nero made sunglasses by watching gladiator competitions through polished light emerald green gems held up to his eyes.  The true invention of sunglasses was somewhere between 1268 and 1289.

Before 1430, smoky quartz, flat-paned sunglasses were worn by Judges in the Courts of China to conceal any expression in their eyes.  Prescription sunglasses were developed in Italy in 1430 and were later used by the Chinese Judges.  In the mid 18th Century, James Ayscough developed blue and green corrective lenses, beginning the use of sunglasses for correcting optical impairments.

Until 1730 when Edward Scarlett invented hardened sidepieces, there were problems in keeping eyeglasses propped on the nose.  Glasses frames had been made from leather, bones and metal and sidepieces began as silk strips of ribbon that looped around the ears.  Instead of loops, the Chinese added ceramic weights to the ends of the ribbons.  Benjamen Franklin’s invention of bifocal lenses followed in 1780.

By the 20th Century, sunglasses were used to protect the eyes from the sun.  In 1929 Sam Foster’s “Foster Grants” were the first mass-produced sunglasses and they began the trend of sunglasses for fashion.

In the 1930’s the Army Air Corps asked Bausch & Lomb to develop sunglasses that would efficiently reduce high-altitude sun glare for pilots and they came up with dark green tinted sunglasses that absorbed light through the yellow spectrum.

Edward H. Land had invented the Polaroid filter and by 1936 he used it in making sunglasses and soon, sunglasses became “cool.”  Movies stars began wearing sunglasses to hide behind and for fashion.  Aviator glasses became popular with the movie stars and the general public in 1937 after Ray Ban developed the anti-glare sunglasses using polarization.  The longer lens was created to give more protection to pilots’ eyes from light reflecting off their control panels.

By the 1970’s Hollywood stars and fashion designers made a huge impact on the sunglasses market.  Clothing designers and stars put their names on glasses and sunglasses and everyone had to have them.  In 2007, stars are still hiding behind their oversized designer sunglasses, making fashion statements and protecting their eyes from the harmful effects of the Ultra Violet radiation.
Today’s trendy designer sunglasses are a status symbol; however, in order to be fashionable in sunglasses, you do not have to give up quality.  Quality designer sunglasses can be polarized to reduce the glare of sunlight reflecting off surfaces like the highway, cars, water or snow.  Polarized sunglasses work by blocking off  horizontal light reflections and only let in vertical light reflections.  The polarization of designer sunglasses makes them fashionable in other areas of lifestyle like golfing, boating, biking, swimming, fishing and aircraft flying.

Marketers of designer sunglasses target children who choose the same hot styles and brand-names as their parents and their idols.  Sunglasses for children have Disney and cartoon characters in many colors, shapes and styles.  Children’s designer sunglasses can also be polarized to block the harmful UV radiation.

With modern technology and improvements, the making of sunglasses continues to evolve.  We have gone from holding green gems up to our eyes to Oakley’s 2004 sunglasses with digital audio players built in.

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Nov 8, 2009

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Retro Sunglasses, the Way to Go

When it comes to sunglasses, is retro the way to go?  You are probably seeing a lot of different designs of shades these days, are they new?  Truthfully, there are really no new designs, just redesigns of a formerly popular style.  In the fashion world, retro designs are everywhere–and sunglasses are no exception.

One design that has poked its head back into the fashion world is well known all over.  Onassis Glasses, or the Jackie-O design sunglasses were popularized by the former First Lady Kennedy.  After becoming Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, she flaunted this oversized style of sunglasses all over the globe.  The style was so closely associated with her, that it has shared her name since the late seventies.

After fading from the public eye, the Onassis Glasses lay dormant for about thirty years.  However, poised for a comeback, these sunglasses have begun making waves on red carpets and runways all over.  The women credited for bringing back the infamous sunglasses are Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton.  Since then, Jackie-O’s have been seen on the faces of famous women and trendy-but-average Janes everywhere.

Another retro design of sunglasses that has made big waves recently is the cleverly named Aviators.  Originally designed in the 1930’s for military pilots, Aviators were hot on fashionable faces in the 1960’s and 1980’s.  True to their every-twenty-year trend, Aviators are back with avengance and have been favorites for men, and women, with style.  It is particularly true that this style of sunglasses has caught on with the younger “MTV Crowd” more than with adults.  Johnny Knoxville has adapted Aviators as his signature style.

Some styles of sunglasses have briefly shown themselves in fashion, only to never be heard from again.  This is not necessarily a bad thing.  There are those sunglasses the human race still feels a little silly about.  However, let’s not speak too soon.  These sunglasses could be waiting in the wings for their triumphant return.

OVER-Oversized sunglasses are one fashion faux-pa most of us would rather not make.  The design is a retro tribute to the late Lady O when they are slightly oversized and conservative.  However, when the sunglasses appear to be attempting to take over your face, you may have crossed the line into ridiculous.  Save the supersized look for clowns and put this design back in the vault.

Another design that some hope will never return carries a soft spot in the hearts of many women.  The Wayfarer sunglasses were first made popular by Hollywood’s bad boy, James Dean.  After his death, these sunglasses were worn for a time, before slowly falling by the wayside to make room for the newer styles.

However, the Wayfarer was gone but not forgotten.  The sunglasses made a double comeback on the faces of James Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, better known in the eighties as the Blues Brothers.  The sunglasses with a clean black, square design were a perfect complement to their all black suits, hats and ties.

Wayfarers made one more comeback in 1983 when a sock and underwear clad young man slid into the living room and into our hearts.  Before Tom Cruise was the controversial figure he is today, he was a hot high school graduate just trying to get into a good college.  The Wayfarers sunglasses haven’t been much on the fashion scene since then, but we’ve never forgotten.

It’s hard to tell what may come next in the world of fashion sunglasses.  If you really want to keep up with it, just check the fashion magazines in early spring and see what new old styles are unfolding.  You may have seen them all before, but these retro sunglasses are bound to have a new and exciting twist.

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Oct 18, 2009

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The Dark History of Sunglasses

Sunglasses have a dark history, but a brilliant future.  The history of sunglasses can be traced back to Roman Emperor Nero who watched the gladiator competitions through polished light emerald green gems held up to his eyes.

The invention of sunglasses was somewhere between 1268 and 1289.  A visual historical recording of early sunglasses is a painting done by Tommaso da Modena in 1352.  The person in the painting was wearing sunglasses.  This was the first painting of a subject in sunglasses and many more were to follow as it became a fashionable symbol of distinction or honor.

Around the twelfth century and before 1430, sunglasses were worn by Judges in the Courts of China.  The smoky quartz, flat-glassed panes were not used as protection from the sun.  They were used to conceal any expression in their eyes to keep from giving away the outcome of their decisions.  Prescription sunglasses were developed in Italy in 1430 and were later used by the Chinese Judges.

By the 1600’s people began to realize the benefits of prescription glasses as helping the elderly to see better and the motto “A Blessing to the Aged” came into being in 1629.  It was the motto of an English eyeglasses manufacturer, Spectacle Makers Company.

In the mid 18th Century, James Ayscough developed blue and green corrective lenses which began the use of sunglasses for correcting optical impairments.

The development of glasses and sunglasses continued through the years.  Problems in keeping eyeglasses on the face or propped on the nose led to experiments.  Glasses frames had been made from leather, bones and metal and were propped on the nose.  Sidepieces began as silk strips of ribbon that looped around the ears.  Instead of loops, the Chinese added ceramic weights to the ends of the ribbons.  Solid sidepieces were finally invented by Edward Scarlett in 1730.  Benjamen Franklin’s invention of bifocal lenses followed in 1780.

By the 20th Century, sunglasses were used to protect the eyes from the sun.  In 1929 Sam Foster began selling his protective sunglasses at Woolworth stores on the boardwalk at the beaches in Atlantic City and New Jersey.  His Foster Grants were the first mass-produced sunglasses and they began the trend of sunglasses for fashion.

In the 1930’s the Army Air Corps asked Bausch & Lomb to develop sunglasses that would efficiently reduce high-altitude sun glare for pilots.  Bausch & Lomb came up with sunglasses that had a dark green tint that absorbed light through the yellow spectrum.

Edward H. Land had invented the Polaroid filter and by 1936 he was using it in the making of sunglasses and soon, sunglasses became “cool.”  Movies stars began wearing sunglasses as a statement and to hide behind.  Aviator glasses became popular with the movie stars and the general public in 1937 after Ray Ban developed the anti-glare sunglasses using polarization.  The longer lens was created to give more protection to pilots’ eyes from the light reflecting off their control panels.

By the 1970’s Hollywood stars and fashion designers made a huge impact on the sunglasses market.  Clothing designers and stars put their names on glasses and sunglasses and everyone had to have them.

In 2007, stars are still hiding behind their oversized designer sunglasses, making fashion statements and protecting their eyes from the harmful effects of the Ultra Violet (UV) rays of the sun.  With modern technology and improvements, sunglasses continue to evolve.  We have gone from holding green gems up to our eyes to watch Gladiator sports to Oakley’s 2004 sunglasses with digital audio players built in.  What’s next?

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Jun 17, 2009

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The Creation of Popular Sunglasses: The Mirrorshades

It seems like every time you see a movie or TV show where police officers are involved, they seem to be wearing large sunglasses with mirrors on the outside.  What are these shades and how did they come to be what they are today?  The truth is that Mirrorshades, as the sunglasses are called, are often associated with law enforcement and government officials for a valid reason.

Mirrorshades are sunglasses with a reflective optical coating on the outside of the lenses to make them appear like small mirrors.  The mirror coating can decrease anywhere from 10%-60% of the light that passes through and makes contact with your eyes.  Mirrorshades are great sunglasses for anyone that spends much of their time outdoors, possibly even on a motorcycle or in a car for eight or more hours per day.

However, Mirrorshades serve a greater purpose than simply shielding the eye.  These sunglasses prevent another person from making eye contact with the wearer.  The mirrors are created so that an onlooker will only meet his own reflection when attempting to gaze into the eyes behind a pair of Mirrorshades.

It is for this reason that Mirrorshades have become popular sunglasses for officers of law enforcement and military.  Their popularity with police officers in the United States has earned them the nickname “cop shades”.  Much like an interrogation room, a suspect is unnerved by looking into a window and being unable to see who or what is looking back at him.  It is also for this reason that Mirrorshades are often favored by competitive poker players.

Mirrorshades are available in several different designs.  The sunglasses most frequently worn by police and military are Aviators.  This style received its name around the 1940’s and 1950’s when they were popular sunglasses for military pilots.  In the 1930’s, Ray Ban created this design and sold it to the United States Military.  The military issued the sunglasses to their pilots to protect them while they flew.  From there a fixture among sunglass styles was created.

Another particularly popular style of Mirrorshades is called the Wraparound.  This style of sunglasses consists of either one or two smooth, semi-circular lenses that cover the eyes and resemble the shape of protective goggles.  Wraparound sunglasses are quite popular in the world of extreme sports.  They are often particularly associated with snow sports, such as skiing and snowboarding.

The Mirrorshades are created with a coating on the outside of the lenses of the sunglasses.  The coating can range from a very simple form made up of a single layer of very thin film all the way to a thicker, more reflective form.  The thinner layer of film can be very likely to scratch with minimal pressure, and is sensitive to salt water.  These sunglasses should be treated with the utmost care.

The more modern reflective coatings on Mirrorshades usually have several layers making them more durable and less likely to become scratched.  While these sunglasses may be more expensive, you often get what you pay for when purchasing sunglasses.  Choose wisely and educate yourself on sunglasses before deciding which ones to buy.  Mirrorshades will prove beneficial to your eyes and your style.

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