When it comes to choosing a pair of sunglasses, style and fit are important, but you also want to make sure to consider the type of lens tints or coatings. The right lens can make a big difference to how well you can see and enjoy your sport or outdoor adventure. This guide will help breakdown the different type of lens tints, coatings, and technology to give you a little extra help in making the best selection for your next pair of sunglasses.

Sunglasses Lens Tints

Different lens colors give you a variety of looks in your sunglasses, but they also cause your eyes to react differently to varying light conditions which is why some tints are better than others depending on the type of activity you are doing and the weather.

Gray/Green Lenses

These tints don't change the color of the light, but they do cut down on the amount of light that comes in through the lens and is a great solution for color contrast and brightness. The darker grey/green tints are made to cut glare, making it easier on the eyes in brighter places, and to see depth. These lenses tints are good for things like driving where color is important.

Brown Lenses

Brown tints cut out neutral brown tones and give the person wearing them a better sense of contrast and depth.  These are a great solution where distance judgement is required, or you need more contrast between the landscape and the sky. This is ideal for mountain biking or outdoor adventures through the trees.

Yellow/Gold/Amber Lenses

These lenses have great contrast and depth perception, but they don't protect your eyes as well from bright light. They work well in moderate to low light because they make the differences between things stand out more. They work well in cloudy or snowy weather and are perfect for skiing, snowboarding, and other snow sports.

Rose/Vermilion Lenses

These lenses make images clearer even when there isn't much light, and they still improve contrast. They work by blocking the "hazy" blue end of the color spectrum. They are a good choice for most activities. Rose lenses can be worn for a long time because they don't strain the eyes much.

Blue/Purple Lenses

They are mostly for looks and don't have much practical use. This is very different from a blue or purple chrome, which is both useful and functional.

Mirrored or Flash Coating Lenses

This is a term for a reflective film that is put on the outside of the lenses. This film is very useful for people who have trouble seeing in bright light. Also, mirrored lenses are the way to go if you don't want people to be able to see your eyeballs for some reason. They cut down on glare by reflecting a lot of the light that hits the surface of the lens. Objects with mirror coatings look darker than they really are, so lighter tints are often used to make up for this.

Lens Technology

Non-polarized lenses

Non-polarized lenses have their benefits: they don't let in as much light, so they don't strain your eyes, and they're better for activities where you'll be moving through a lot of different light conditions, like driving around town, reading, hiking, or sports where depth perception is important, like golfing and mountain biking. This can also be a great option if you need more clarity on screens or for motorcycle riding while wearing sunglasses and having your visor down as you won’t get any additional glare reflection from that which can occur with a polarized lens.

Polarized Lenses

When light bounces off of flat surfaces like water, snow, glass, sand, or pavement, it bounces back in the opposite direction. This reflective glare is very strong, and it could make your eyes feel worse, make them tired, or even make it hard for you to see. Polarized lenses block all vertical light by using tiny polarizing crystals that are aligned horizontally. This protects your eyes from the glare. If you're looking for a pair of sunglasses that will help protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, polarized lenses are the way to go. Polarized lenses are great for activities like water sports, cycling, and driving, where there is often a lot of glares from the sun.

Photochromic Lenses

Photochromic lenses automatically adjust to changing light levels to protect you in a wider range of conditions. When it's bright outside, these lenses get darker so they can block lighter. When it gets darker, they get lighter. A few things to keep in mind: the photochromic process doesn't happen right away, and it takes longer to work when it's cold. Also, it doesn't work at all when you're inside a car because the change in tint is caused by harmful UVB rays, which can't get through your windshield.

Gradient Lenses

Gradient lenses get darker at the top and get lighter as you move down the lens. These lenses are good for driving because they protect your eyes from sunlight coming from above and let light through the bottom half of the lens so you can see your dashboard display clearly.

Double Gradient Lenses

Lenses with a double gradient are also tinted from the bottom up. The top and bottom are the darkest, and the middle is lighter. Double gradient lenses are a great choice if you want sunglasses that aren't too dark but still protect your eyes well from bright sunlight coming from above and light reflecting off sand, water, and other reflective surfaces at your feet. These lenses are a good option for water sports.

Coatings

We recommend putting an anti-fog coating on your prescription sunglasses if you're going to be outside where sweat could build up on your lenses or if you're going to be outside when it's very hot or cold. This helps keep your lenses clear and stops them from fogging up, which can happen when you sweat or when they're in hot or cold places. If you're not using polarized lenses, we also suggest adding anti-reflective (AR) coating, which reduces glare from headlights, the road, and other reflective surfaces.

Rec Specs 2x2 ProCoat does both because it has a double-sided, anti-reflective, fast fog recovery coating with the base lens of your choice. This coating reduces glare outside while maximizing recovery for clear vision. This can be included with your Rec Specs prescription sunglasses when you buy them.

Plus, you can add an anti-scratch coating to help keep your lenses from getting scratches from normal wear and tear.

When choosing a pair of sunglasses, think about the type of lens that will best protect your eyes. It's important to buy sunglasses that completely cover your eyes to keep UV rays from getting in from places that are only partially covered. Shop now on our full range of performance sunglasses by Rec Specs to find your next sunglasses protection.

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