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Advances In High Performance Eyewear

By: Geoffrey Holdermiller

When the sun is bright and you put your sunglasses on do you ever think about how they work? The thought has probably never crossed your mind. Although if you were to go shopping for a new pair of high performance sunglasses that thought may pop into your head when you see how many choices there actually are today. Lets explore the technological advances in todays eyewear so when that day comes around you will be better equipped to make that decision.

Sunglasses look like such a simple thing but they are much more complex than you may realize. As you will see there is a big difference in the various types of high performance eyewear available today. A good pair of sunglasses should provide protection from ultraviolet rays and also from light itself. Good sunglasses can also protect your eyes from glare and eliminate specific frequencies of light. Certain frequencies of light can blur your vision and others can actually enhance contrast.

Advance technologies in high performance eyewear include tinting, UV coating, anti reflective coatings, scratch resistant coatings, polarization, and even mirroring. Polarized lenses are actually treated with a chemical film which eliminates glare. The tint used in the lens controls what parts of the light spectrum they absorb. There is a light which hits the back of the lens and then bounces back into the eye. This is controlled with anti reflective coatings and UV coatings eliminate the harmful UV radiation from entering your eye.

When light waves are aligned in one or more planes of direction it is called polarization. The film which is applied to the lens is a chemical compound which is composed of molecules that align in parallel relation to one another. The molecules create a microscopic filter which absorbs light that matches their alignment. High performance eyewear with polarized lenses allow you to enjoy a much clearer view without glare.

Most high performance sunglasses now use polycarbonate lenses. This new technology is actually a synthetic plastic which is very strong, lightweight and impact resistant. Another advanced technology is CR-39 that is a plastic made from hard resins that meet optical quality standards. Glass is still used but rarely even though it is the most scratch resistant.

Shy away from cheap sunglasses which commonly have distorted lenses. You can tell if there is distortion in the lens by holding the sunglasses a short distance from your head and moving them slowly up and down and from right to left. Close one eye and look through the other at a straight line. If the line does not stay straight than the lenses are distorted. Glass lenses and polycarbonate lenses are distortion free and colors are evenly distributed across the lens.

Glass is a naturally scratch resistant material but most plastics are not. Manufacturers have developed a variety of ways to add films to lenses that increase their scratch resistance. These films are made of materials such as DLC or diamond-like carbon and polycrystalline diamond. Through ionization a thin but very durable film is created on the surface of the lens. These coatings surely don't have the scratch resistance of glass but they go a long way in helping to keep your lenses scratch free.

Visible light or white light is a major concern in the comfort that high performance sunglasses provide. Our sunglasses provide varying levels of protection from visible light. Another technological advancement in eyewear is in the form of the tinting of the lens. Today you will find many choices in tints from smoke which provides true color reproduction to brown for heightened contrast and depth perception. Also you will find yellow lenses to brighten hazy days and even clear sunglass lenses that still provide 100% UV protection.

Remember that your particular situation will determine which pair of sunglasses will be best for you. Your new knowledge in the technology of today's high performance sunglasses shouldn surely help.

Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com

Before you buy anything online be sure to check out Geoffrey Holdermiller's site for other excellent articles about eyecare and examples of technologically advanced High Performance Sunglasses and High Performance Eyewear

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