Sunglasses were made to protect the eyes, but, as a bonus, they also lend more charisma to our appearance. Aviators, Clip-on, Tea shade glasses, Wayfarers and others have the basic feature of safeguarding our eyes but our look changes with each style. Tea shades give us an eccentric look while, Aviators go with everything.
Summer is almost gone and winter is in, but the need of sunglasses does not end. When sun is less harsh and pleasantly warm, we might just think of chucking off our sunglasses for good, but despite its name ‘SunGlasses’, their need doesn’t wither away with summers. Sunglasses provide us shade from harsh summer sun, callous winter winds and protect our eyes from harmful UV rays, no matter what the weather is.
Sunglasses were basically designed to prevent discomfort to eyes caused due to the high intensity of the sun. They have come a long way from the wooden glasses with silts to now modern Aviators, Wayfarers, Cat-eye etc.
Aviators were first manufactured by Ray-Ban for the aviation officers in 1936. It features an oversize tear drop lens on a thin metal frame. As a fashion statement, Aviators have changed dramatically from dark tinted lens to light coloured lenses in a variety of colours such as peach, pink, green, blue etc.
Clip-on glasses are the type of lenses which are clipped on or attached over the eyeglasses as a form of protection from the sun.
Gradient lens sunglasses go from lighter shade of colour to a higher shade. It provides protection from the intensity of the sun and also provides an easier view from lower part of lenses. These glasses are helpful, while driving or when staying indoors.
Mirrored glasses have a protective coating on the outside of the lens which makes them little mirrors. Optical coating decreases the amount of light passing through the lens which protects the eyes from the high intensity glare. These glasses are usually worn during skiing and snowboarding.
Oversized glasses were famous in 1980s and were inspired by Jacqueline Kennedy’s glasses. Often used for humorous purposes, oversized glasses offer more protection from sunlight as it covers more facial area. It also protects skin from sunburn. These glasses suit people with big arched noses as it softens the arch of the nose.
Tea-shade glasses were made famous by Elton John, John Lennon, Ozzy Osbourne, Mick Jagger and many other celebrities. These were the psychedelic glasses worn purely for aesthetic pleasure in late 1960s. Recently, Mary-Kate Olsen and Lady Gaga were seen sporting tea-shades. These sunglasses are easily found on online portals these days.
Wayfarers were launched by Ray-Ban in 1952. These glasses have a wide frame with little silver pieces on the sides. Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Roy Orbison sported Wayfarers in various movies and events. Wayfarers are now a part of the iconic and rare print collection of Ray-Ban’s sunglasses.
Wrap-around glasses, as their name suggests, wrap around the face comfortably and do not let sunlight get to the eyes. These glasses were manufactured for outdoor purposes, like boating, water-skiing and other water activities.
Sunglasses are not only worn to have a trendy, chic and glamorous look, but also have a lot of other benefits:
Sunglasses decrease the dry-eye problems. They block dry wind and dust of the atmosphere which prevents damage to the eyes and reduces the issue of dry-eyes.
The best benefit is that the sunglasses reduce the glare of the sunlight which protects retina and cornea of the eyes from the ultraviolet rays.
Eyes experience less squinting and pain when you are wearing sunglasses. It also helps in the prevention of headaches that happen due to the strain on the eyes.
The sunglasses are not just fashion accessories, but also provide unlimited benefits to our eyes. Eyes are an important part of our body and sunglasses play a vital role in keeping them safe. With safety, sunglasses also provide you with individuality and your own personality.
