How to Choose Sunglasses / Buy Sunglasses (How To Guide)

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Sunglasses Guide (how to choose and how to purchase)

The following sunglasses selection guide will help you identify the best sun glasses for specific outdoor activities. Every sport and activity requires an appropriate sunglass frame and lens features that will help optimize your experience. Selecting the correct sunglases will help to deliver cutting edge technology that works to ensure the highest level of protection and performance for an active lifestyle. We at OpticsPlanet.com offer you the latest models of designer sunglasses, polarized sunglasses, goggles by Bolle, Body Specs, Serengeti, H2Optix, AO Eyewear, Wiley-X, ESS, Bobster, SportRX and Revision. OpticsPlanet.com is an Authorized US Dealer or Distributor for all sun-glasses we sell, and all of our products are Guaranteed 100% Genuine and Authentic! In addition you will receive FREE SHIPPING buying most sunglasses on OpticsPlanet.net!

The first step in selecting your eyewear is to decide on the primary use of it. Will you be wearing your sunglasses for protection while participating in a specific sport or several sports? Will you be playing a contact sport or a non-contact sport? We have the widest collection of sport sunglasses! Will you be watching events from the stands? Cool sunglasses are waiting for you! Will your sport be centered around water? We can offer you the latest models of water sports sunglasses including boaters sunglasses, fishing sunglasses and swimming goggles (we even sell prescription swimming goggles). Will you be in direct sunlight for extended periods of time? Have a look at our best polarized sunglasses and photochromic sunglasses! Will your sport use a ball, like golf? Here you go - golf sunglasses and tennis sunglasses from OpticsPlanet.com! These specific questions will determine what sunglass frame to select as well as what lens and lens features will optimize your experience. OpticsPlanet hopes that you will have a better understanding of the specific frame and lens selection criteria required to purchase the best sunglasses for your needs after reading this article.

What to look for when buying a pair of good fashion sunglasses:

What Kind of Sunglasses will fit you?

MENS SUNGLASSES Men traditionally wear larger frame styles that are more masculine in design. Mens sun glasses with longer temples and larger lens options - put the other way round big sunglasses, are preferred. Please have a look at Serengeti Salto sunglasses and American Optical aviator sun glasses, if you are looking for mens sun glasses with large lenses. Metal frames are popular with general daily activities, driving and socializing with friends - check Serengeti Ceno sunglasses or Bolle Bounce eyewear. Metal frame sunglasses are considered to be more dressy or formal and can be worn with business attire in more formal settings. Serengeti Padova is a good example of metal frame mens polarized sunglasses. Plastic frame sunglasses are popular when participating in active sports or most casual outdoor activities. Jeans and sweatshirts are the norm for such plastic frame mens designer sunglasses as Bolle Snakes sunglasses or Wiley X Blink sunglasses.
WOMENS SUNGLASSES / GIRL SUNGLASSES Women as a rule wear sunglasses as a fashion accessory with more feminine styling and coloring. Matching the color of the frame with current trends in fashion can create a great look for women. New trendy like Black Tortoise, White Sunglasses, Purple Frame sunglasses, Pink Sunglasses, Rose Sunglasses and Honey Sunglasses are very popular with women nowadays. Lately, women have started wearing larger frame sizes like Serengeti sun glasses to blend sport and fashion together. Larger metal frames are now common in all premium fashion lines and often, current fashion colors are used to compliment outfits and accessories. For example, Bolle Kicker sunglasses are specially designed for women who are looking for best sport sunglasses. OpticsPlanet.com can also offer polarized sunglasses for women.
UNISEX SUNGLASSES Medium frame sizes and neutral coloring that appeal to both men and women are increasingly popular throughout the sport and fashion world - Serengeti Vedi sunglasses or Police sunglasses are in demand today. Oval frame shape, round sunglasses and rectangular sunglasses are increasingly used by both men and woman. Taupe, Matte Black frame and Brown frame colors are very popular. Please note, that men need to be aware of the temple length when sizing unisex frames.
KIDS SUNGLASSES are very popular today as parents understand the importance of eye protection when the family is participating in their favorite activities. Smaller frame infant sun glasses that provide complete coverage are now generally available for kids in colors like Purple, Blue, Pink, Red and Green. As parents, we know how color selection for infant sunglasses is important to long term wear and usage. Safe polycarbonate lenses and strong Nylon frames provide safe - long term protection for all outdoor activities. We would recommend you to get American Optical Kids Sunglasses, Bolle Orvet Kids Sunglasses, Bolle Sizzle Kids Sunglasses, Bolle Spry Kids Sunglasses and Bolle Spright Children Sunglasses. These sunglasses are designed especially for children.

The shape of your face is important when selecting and fitting the correct sunglass. There are several general face shapes: square, oval, round, diamond, rectangle and triangle. Take a few minutes to identify your face shape and the corresponding frame shape.

SQUARE FACE: Try to add length to your face by selecting sunglases that are rounded and are not as wide as the widest part of your face. This will tend to bring in the appearance of a broad jaw line. If you have a face of a square shape you can try Serengeti Aviator, Serengeti Salto, Bolle Tease, Bolle Valorium sunglasses or AO eyewear.
OVAL FACE: The oval face shape is the easiest to fit as the face is symmetrical. Make sure that the frame you select is proportionate to your face. H2Optix Santa Marta, Body Specs Baruffaldi Mambo, Wiley-X Romer II, Bolle Recoil, Bolle Serpent, Bolle Upshot, Serengeti Lamone S-Flex, Serengeti Sangro and Serengeti Argon designer sunglasses will definitely work.
ROUND FACE: Select frames that have angular lines to sharpen and add definition to a round face shape. Rectangular sunglasses frame shapes will look good on you. Bolle Snakes Fang, Bolle Windshear Sunglasses, Bolle Hellbent Fusion Sun Glasses, Bolle Envy Sunglasses and Wiley-X FL-1 Sunglasses will be your first choice.
DIAMOND FACE: Frames that add width above the cheekbone will compliment the diamond shaped face. Oval frames like Bolle Kicker Action Sport Sunglasses, Bolle Mongrel Sunglasses and Bolle Snakes Anaconda Sunglasses or rimless styles like Bolle Meltdown Sunglasses, Serengeti Polar Max Argon Sunglasses and Bolle Kickfilp Sport Sunglasses work well.
RECTANGLE FACE: Similar to the square shaped face with a slightly longer face length. Big sun glasses and round frame shapes will fit you. Try to select frames that will add width to the face. OpticsPlanet.com offers Serenegti Salto Sunglasses, Serengeti Aviator Napoli eyewear, Serengeti Pergusa Aviator Sunglasses, Bolle Parole Sunglasses, Bolle Sport Vigilante Sunglasses and Bolle Swiftkick Sunglasses for the people with this type of face.
TRIANGLE FACE: We would recommend you to add width in the eye area to offset the chin area. This will add symmetry and balance. Have a look at Bolle Dirty 8 Low-Low, Bolle Dirty 8 Glamrock, Serengeti S-Flex Rhone discount sunglasses - they should fit you well.

Sunglasses Frame Features:

METAL FRAMES are made of a light weight metal alloy, Monel, that is corrosion resistant. The following sun glasses have metal frames: Bolle Hightail Sunglasses, Police Sunglasses, American Optical Sunglasses and Serengeti Panaro Sunglasses.
NYLON (PLASTIC) FRAMES are made out of a light weight Nylon and provide a safe, comfortable fit. These are the example of the sunglasses with plastic frames: H2Optix Santa Marta Sunglasses, Bolle Snakes Canebrake Sunglasses, Bolle Parole Sunglasses and Serengeti Cascade Polarized Sunglasses.

Sun glasses Frame Styles

Sport Sunglasses - active sports like football, baseball, volleyball, skiing and climbing are best played with safe, sports sunglasses with nylon frames. Lens performance is critical. Check out our on-line stores to get a good pair of best sport sunglasses. Theses are just a few examples of sport sun glasses: Wiley X JP-2 Motorcycling Sunglasses, Body Specs Baruffaldi Series Storm Rider 2 Sunglasses, SportRX sunglasses and Bolle Swisher Sunglasses. We can even get prescription sports sunglasses for you!
Fashion Sunglasses - fashion sun glasses tend to focus on the styling and appearance of the frame and less on the lens. Personal preferences drive the frame selection. iSonic MP3 Sunglasses (These MP3 Sunglasses does not only provide hours of listening pleasure, they also come in handy when you need to record an audio note!), Bolle Metals Sin City Sunglasses, Police 2888 Sunglasses and Serengeti Polarmax Celcio Sunglasses are considered to be designer fashion sunglasses.
Sport/Fashion Combination - some brands have merged sport and fashion together to create a combination sunglasses. Good examples of those will be Bolle Dirty 8 Sunglasses and Serengeti Zina Cosmopolitan Sunglasses.
Rimless Sunglasses - frames that have a drilled hole in the lens to attach the frame and do not have a full frame around the lens are called rimless. These frames are lighter and offer a more modern look: Bolle Sport Valorium Sunglasses, Bolle Meltdown Sunglasses Rimless and Serengeti Polarmax Leggero Sun Glasses.
Aviator Sunglasses - the classic look of the aviator sun glasses is timeless and many men choose to wear this style. Lately, women have started to wear the sun glasses aviator style and it is considered very fashionable. Please check out the following latest polarized aviator sunglasses models: Serengeti Aviator, Serengeti Aviator Napoli Sunglasses, Serengeti Pergusa Aviator Sunglasses, Bolle Zyrium Aviator Sunglasses and American Optical Aviator Sun glasses. These are very hot designer aviator sun glasses!

Sunglass Lenses

Selecting the correct sunglass lens that delivers the optimal level of protection and performance is critical. The base curve of the lens signifies the primary curvature of the lens. The higher the number, the more extreme the curvature of the lens is. Six (6) base lenses are virtually flat and can be found in most fashion sunglasses like Bolle Metals Pharmium Sunglasses, Bolle Zyrium Sunglasses and Bolle Demeanor Sunglasses. You can also buy the sunglasses with 8 base curved lenses on our web site - please have a look at Serengeti Cascade Polarized Sunglasses. Eight (8) base lenses provide significant peripheral coverage and are preferred in most premium sport brands. Please have a look at such wrap around glasses as Wiley X sun glasses and Body Specs sun glasses. There are a few twelve (12) base lens options available, but they are almost impossible to put a prescription in and can not be polarized.

Sunglass Lens Features

Polycarbonate lenses are ultra lightweight and virtually shatterproof providing safety and comfort. Polycarbonate lenses are 20 times more impact resistant than glass lenses and one third the weight. Also, the color is embedded throughout the lens, as opposed to a tinting process; it remains optically correct and can not peel off or scratch off. Polycarbonate lenses provide protection from harmful UV rays. Bolle sunglasses / Bolle prescription sunglasses, some Serengeti sunglasses, Wiley X sunglasses and goggles / Prescription Wiley X sunglasses, ESS goggles, Bobster sunglasses / Bobster prescription sunglasses, Sport RX sunglasses and motorcycle goggles / Sport Rx prescription eyewear, swimming goggles / prescription swimming goggles, Body Specs glasses / Body Specs prescription glasses and Revision military eyewear are available with prescription lenses.
Glass lenses provide excellent optical quality and the most scratch-resistant surface. Most premium glass lenses are made from distortion-free, borosilicate optical glass and offer the highest level of visual acuity available today. All glass lenses nowadays are mandated to pass a drop ball test that ensures a safe lens and with proper care, can last a lifetime. Serengeti sunglass lenses are made of precision ground and polished optical glass. Even in rx form Serengeti prescription sunglasses are made using Serengeti Corning glass formula.
Plastic lens is a less expensive option for lens material. It is half the weight of glass lenses, however the lens surface is softer and easier to scratch. Over the past several years, all premium sunglass brands have switched to polycarbonate lenses as they are much stronger, lighter and have much better optical clarity than plastic. Bolle Rx inserts for Bolle Parole sun glasses, Bolle Vigilante sungles and Bolle Rx adapter for Bolle Swiftkick sun glasses as well as Bolle progressive polarized lenses are made from CR-39 plastic.

Interchangeable Lens Sunglasses - if you have several sports that you play and use your solar shield sunglasses in different climate conditions, you may want to look at frames that offer interchangeable lenses. Wiley X SG-1, Bolle Parole, Bolle Vigilante, Bolle Action Sport Turbulence Sunglasses, Bolle Mongrel Sport Sunglasses and Bobster Road Sunglasses are designed to be easily customizable to suit constantly changing environment and user requirements.

Sunglass Lens Options

Non-polarized tinted are ideal for everyday, all purpose wear. Tinting of the lens creates true color definition while fighting harsh glare. Tints are available in almost any color of the rainbow, please check our Bole sunglasses, Serengeti sun glasses, Wiley X sunglasses, Body Specs goggles, ESS glasses, H2Optix Sunglasses, Police sunglasses, Orange County Choppers SunWear Sunglasses.
Polarized sunglasses are best for activities around water or in direct sunlight. How do polarized sunglasses work? The polarized film of the polarized sun glasses lenses is sandwiched between two halves of the lens and can not peel or scratch off. The polarized film acts like a mini Venitian blinds that are set at a specific angle to filter the chaotic light waves that cause glare. Polarized sunglasses reduce glare and illuminate eye fatigue. Please check our best polarized sunglasses!
Mirror sunglasses offer protection when you are in direct sunlight for extended periods of time. Activities like boating, sunning and people of different professions like construction workers or police officers can benefit from mirrored sunglasses if you are out in the direct sunlight.
Photochromic sunglasses have lenses that change lighter and darker depending on the level of UV light. Premium brands like Wiley X, Body Specs, Serengetti offer photochromic or transitional lenses that change as you move from direct sunlight through more shaded areas. Light adjusting photochromic sunglasses is a great feature for changing outdoor sun conditions. Please note that most transitional lenses do no darken behind a windshield, make sure you are using them under direct sunlight.
Anti-reflective coatings (AR coatings) are specifically engineered to eliminate annoying back glare and double images. When you see someone on TV wearing glasses and can see the reflection from the cameras in front and glare reflecting off of the lenses, they do not have anti reflective coating for eyeglasses. Most premium lenses have Anti-reflective coating. All the lenses in Bolle sunglasses and Serengeti sunglasses have AR coatings.

Sport Specific Sunglasses

Specific sunglass frame and lens combinations work best in certain sports. Here is a list of common sports and our recommendations for the best sport sunglasses for each.

If your sport uses a ball, brown lenses will allow more light transmission for your eyes to focus on the ball. Grey lenses as well as polarized lenses tend to be too dark for your eyes to accurately focus on the ball. Sports like golf, volleyball, tennis, baseball and football require quick and accurate eye focusing to play at your optimal level. Non-polarized brown lenses work best for these sports.
- GOLF SUNGLASSES - Sunglasses for golf are very popular with golfers today. Bolle makes a high contrast cinnamon lens that is ideal for golf. The Eaglevision 2, Eaglevision 2 Dark and Eaglevision 2 Gold lenses are great golf sunglasses lenses and can be found in several golf sun glasses styles like the Bolle Valorium, Parole, Vigilante, Swiftkick, Bolle Mongrel, Bolle Kicker Golf, Bolle Kickback Golf, Bolle Kickflip and Upshot. You can even get golf prescription sunglasses.
- TENNIS SUNGLASSES - Tennis sun glasses lens work to mute the entire spectrum except the optic yellow range and allow the eyes to pick up the yellow tennis ball more quickly. Bolle Tennis Sunglasses Competivision lens can be found in Bolle Valorium Tennis sunglasses, Bolle Parole, Bolle Vigilante Tennis sungles, Swiftkick, Mongrel, Bolle Kicker Tennis sun glasses, Bolle Kickback, Kickflip and Bolle Upshot sunglasses for tennins.
- VOLLEYBALL SUNGLASSES and SOFTBALL SUNGLASSES - Nylon frame material and high contrast lenses for cloudy days and brown lenses with mirror coating for sunny days work best for Volleyball and Softball players. Serengeti Polar Max Argon Sunglasses, Bolle Parole sun glasses, Bolle Vigilante sun glasses, Bolle Swiftkick, Bolle Mongrel, Bolle Kicker sunglasses, Bolle Morph sunglasses and Bolle Snakes Serpent Sun Glasses will look on you.
CYCLING SUNGLASSES/BIKING SUNGLASSES - Most cycling sunglasses and biker sunglasses lenses are high contrasting and allow more light transmission while blocking all glare. Low light conditions, rainy and cloudy days, glaring sunny days, and night riding need interchangeable lenses to work in all of the different light conditions. You can try Wiley X sunglasses(especially Wiley-X SABER Cycling sunglasses), Bobster Road Hog sunglasses, Body Specs sunglasses and Bolle Action Sport Turbulence Sunglasses.
FISHING SUNGLASSES/BOATING SUNGLASSES/SUNGLASSES FOR SAILING/MARINE SUNGLASSES - Polarized lenses work best around water for all boating, fishing and sunning activities. You can try such sunglasses styles like the H2Optics Laguna sunglasses, H2Optics Santa Marta sunglasses, Bolle Snakes Canebrake Sunglasses and Serengeti Nuvola sunglasses.
MILITARY SUNGLASSES/POLICE SUNGLASSES - require frame and lens combinations that offer polarized lenses and complete coverage of the eyes for optimal performance on the job. Mirrored lenses work well if you are in direct sunlight for extended periods of time. Aviators are the classic law enforcement frame style and combined with Serengeti Drivers lens or Serengeti 555nm lens work well in the Large aviator and Medium aviator glasses. Police sun glasses and AO Sunglasses are very popular as well.
SHOOTING GLASSES - shooting lenses are generally high contrast to allow as much light transmission while blocking all glare. Traditional shooting lenses are Lemon or Citrus. Frame styles that offer complete coverage work best as well. We would recommend you to have a look at Tasco Shield Lens Shooting Glasses, Tasco Dual Lens Shooting Glasses, Wiley X SG-1 sunglasses and Wiley-X PT-1 Interchangables shooting sunglasses.
MOTORCYCLE SUNGLASSES - Motorcycle riders need complete coverage and Polycarbonate lenses for safe riding. Polarized lenses work well and if riding for extended periods of time in direct sun, Mirrored lenses are suggested. A snug and comfortable fit is critical to keep the wind out of the eyes. Our best motorcycle sunglasses are Wiley-X Motorcycle Sunglasses.
DRIVING SUNGLASSES - Optimizing the open road experience with a quality pair of sun glasses is pure Americana. Look for polarized lenses and good coverage to block glare. Early morning and late afternoon driving into the sun require a good pair of driving sun glasses for safe driving. Serengeti Drivers Gradient sunglasses from OpticsPlanet.net fight glare and intense light above, while providing a clear view below.
RUNNING SUNGLASSES - light weight frame and high contrast lenses are great when running or jogging. Such features of running sun glasses and non slip nose pads and temple tips create a comfortable fit on the face. Look for light lenses like Lemon or Citrus for running in cloudy or rainy conditions or brown or grey lens for more sunny days. Blue blocker sunglasses like Serengetti sunglasses will work best of all.

Premium sunglass brands like Bolle, Serengeti, Wiley X, Body Specs, H2Optics, American Optical, Police, Bobster, SportRX, ESS and Revisionoffer authentic lens and frame technology that deliver the state of the art materials and lens coatings for the optimal sport experience. Knock off frames and lenses offer similar looks as the authentic brands, yet lack the technology to deliver distortion free optics that are critical when optimal performance is demanded. Look carefully at the lens as most premium sunglass lenses have small print on the lens to identify authentic products. You can always buy the latest models of the coolest designer sunglasses online from OpticsPlanet.com.