Fine Eye Wear - Sunglasses

Quality Sunglasses
We carry a complete line of quality sunglasses for every occasion. No matter what your activity, we have a pair of shades that fits your style. We have sunglasses with polarized lens and anti-reflective technology that can help you see thru the reflections of the water while fishing, help you find that elusive golf ball in a sea of green grass or just simply make you look great while lounging pool side!

Prescription Sunglasses
We've got you covered. We can put the same high quality lens found in our regular glasses into your sunwear.

Reasons for proper Sunglasses
During the day, your retinas have a higher energy demand than any other tissue in your body. Sunglasses help reduce the strain on your eyes by modifying the incoming light to match the spectrum your eyes are most comfortable in viewing. Quality sunglasses can block the light that causes damage and irritation. Sunglasses block damaging sun rays that can lead to cataracts and retinal damage such as macular degeneration. Simply put, sunglasses help you see better, minimize eye sun exposure and at the same time simply look great!

Why should I invest in higher priced sunglasses when you can buy a pair for $5-$20?
High quality sunglasses are certainly more expensive than the shades at the drug store or a department store. The difference, lies in the quality. Like most products you buy, you get what you pay for. Many people believe that buying high priced sunglasses simply means paying for a designer name. It is true that Italian design does cost more, but there is more to it than that. Many of our frames are hand built and hand polished in Italy, adding to the quality, cosmetic appeal and fashion allure. Inexpensive shades, even those that claim "100% UV protection" may not actually protect your eyes. Most of the time these shades have a spray on UV coating that will wear off over time exposing you to more harmful UV rays than if you were to wear nothing at all. Other drawbacks include poor optics that will distort your vision, poorly made frames that fall apart after a couple of months, and no warranty to protect you as a consumer against manufacturing defects. In contrast, quality sunglasses use only tested materials that offer superior optics and durable, long lasting frames that are backed by at least a one year warranty. In addition, the coatings used, including UV protection, are often sandwiched between multiple layers of a lens material. This means that your protection UV protection and lens tint will never fade or wear off. While good sunglasses can be expensive, they are also built to last. With proper regular care, a quality pair should last longer.

Polarization
Polarized sunglass lenses reduce glare by minimizing the passage of undesirable light. Polarization blocks light that is bounced from odd angles. These odd angles can form a sort of "light spray" which reduce clarity. Polarization works by filtering this light spray, passing only controlled, orderly light rays that reach your eyes. This results in sharper vision, vivid colors and improved depth perception

Anti-Reflective Materials
Light can reach your lens from all angles including from the back of your lens. This light can be bounced off surface from behind you and even your own skin. Light reflected from the inside of your lens can create glare, making it hard to see and increase eye strain. Anti-reflective technology reduces these reflections and allow you to see better.

Types of Light
Sunlight has invisible wavelengths that can damage your eyes over time. The different types of light and the possible negative effects on vision and eye comfort make it important to choose sunglasses with the best light protection.

UV Light
Although UV radiation is invisible to the human eye, it is absorbed by the eye with frequent exposure over the years. UVA radiation penetrates deep into the skin and eyes and is a major cause of pre-mature aging. UVB is the most damaging to the eye is a factor in cataract development and retinal damage such as macular degeneration.

Selecting Lens tints
Color or tint can effect the performance of a lens. The human eye reacts differently to various colors and thus, each color lens will offer different benefits..

B/A: Brown or amber lenses enhance contrast while altering the natural colors of objects very little. This lens tint is great for sports and driving or any activity where contrast is important. While this tint is not the darkest available, it is suitable for every day use.

GY: Grey lenses are generally the darkest lenses available. They do not enhance contrast at all, but also do not distort colors either. They are most suitable for people that are in extremely bright light conditions or need a "true color" lens.

V/R: Vermillion or rose lenses provide some of the best contrast enhancement. They are suitable for mild to medium light conditions. Common uses are golf and skiing, however, this is also a suitable general purpose lens as well.

O/Y: Orange and yellow lenses provide excellent depth perception and contrast in low light conditions. They are often used as shooting glasses. They excel in overcast conditions or in environments with little light. While these lenses are 100% UV protective, they are often too bright to be used in normal light conditions.

GR: Green lenses are a good everyday tint. They are of medium darkness, have some contrast enhancing qualities while not distorting colors.

B/P/C: Blue, purple, or clear lenses are usually fashion tints and offer no real benefits. While they are 100% UV protective, there are no inherent benefits to these colors.

Selecting Lens Material
There are three main lens materials that are commonly used in today's sunglasses: Glass, Plastic (CR-39), Polycarbonate and Hi-Index. Each material has its own set of benefits and drawbacks, and thus, there is no one best material. You should assess how you will use your sunglasses and chose accordingly.

POLYCARBONATE: Polycarbonate lenses are shatterproof and extremely lightweight. Their primary drawback is that the material is very soft and is the least scratch resistant material used. These lenses are great for active people involved in sports. Because they are lightweight they will stay put when moving around. The shatterproof lenses will also provide protection from not only UV rays, but also impact from objects or in case of an accident or a fall.

GLASS: Glass lenses offer excellent scratch resistance and highest optical clarity. However, they are 2-3 times as heavy as plastic, polycarbonate lenses or hi-index. While they are tempered for impact resistance, they can shatter or break if struck by an object or dropped. These types of lenses are suitable for people who value durability and clarity but are not great for people involved in high speed sports or activities where something could strike your lenses or face.

HI-INDEX: Offers the combined benefits of both glass and polycarbonate, producing a lens with superior optics that is thin, light and impact resistant.

PLASTIC: Plastic lenses are significantly lighter than glass lenses, and thus, may be more comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. While not shatterproof, these lenses are more shatter resistant than glass. Disadvantages include average optical clarity and less scratch resistance. These types of lenses are great for folks looking for a lightweight, affordable pair of sunglasses.