EYES on Sunglasses

We’ll start with the apology now. 

This week we’re talking sunshine – long sunny days, glare, driving into evening sun, holidays, getting out and about in the summer.  If (when) the weather turns, we’re sorry.

You really should be protecting your eyes from the sun just as much as you protect your skin as too much exposure to UV (ultra-violet) light raises your risk of eye diseases and other degenerative eye conditions.   It’s not just the sun you need to be careful of – glare from water (and snow) can be just as damaging.

So why do we tend to see sunglasses as a luxury rather than an essential investment in maintaining our sight for as long as possible?

The optometry team at EYES on St Albans see a number of reasons:

• Some people cope better on bright days than others.  If it’s not bothering you, why do something about it?!
• Cost.  You’ve just had to invest in a new pair of glasses for inside, the cost of a pair of prescription sunglasses can be too much at the same time.
• Losing sunglasses!  If we had a fiver for every time someone said they had lost a pair we’d have more than one shop!  Some people decide to sacrifice clear vision and go for cheap ‘off the shelf’ sunglasses so that when they do lose them, it’s not as bad.
• Being overwhelmed with choice – in terms of frames, lenses, coatings and other sets of initials they don’t understand.

In answer to the first point.  Wearing high quality sunglasses (and a hat) can help prevent cancer in your eyes.  And blindness, macular degeneration, cataracts and a load of other nasty eye issues.  These will bother you in the future, even if the brightness doesn’t now. 

We also completely understand about the cost element.  Which is why we don’t run deals, special offers or insist you buy your sunglasses at the same time as your other glasses.  We’ll keep your prescription on file (or bring your current one in) and we’ll get your sunglasses ordered when you’re ready.   If you don’t have prescription but want the best lenses in one of our awesome range of frames – just come in and we’ll find something to suit your personality.

Losing your sunnies.  It happens.  It’s also what our Transitions lenses are for.  Long gone are the days of painfully slow ‘reactalight’ lenses – where you’d be waiting for what seems like hours to go from inside to outside or vice versa.  Transitions lenses change fast.  Really fast – and come in a wide range of colours to complement your frames and preference when it comes to sunglasses.  Inside, you don’t see the colour at all – step out and your eyes are protected from the sun in seconds.

All our sunglasses come with UV and anti-glare coatings (no extra charges hidden here) and we can even make varifocal sunglasses which have been described as a complete game changer by some of our clients.  Being able to read by the pool and then look up at a view without changing your glasses and have it all in focus… pop in and see us at 63 The Quadrant and we’ll show you how it all works.