What affects the color and degree of darkening of the lenses in sports glasses. Polarized sunglasses

Today we will talk about sunglasses.

In a relationship sunglasses the above classifications are valid according to frame materials (metal, plastic, combined) and frame type (solid, semi-rimless and rimless).

You can also divide them into types based on specific features.

According to light transmission, sunglasses are divided into 5 categories:

Category 4 - maximum, 3-8% light transmission, they give maximum protection in snowy mountains, bright sun in glaciers, etc. You can’t drive a car in them, because when you go from light to shade, visibility in them is very much reduced;

Please note: These are protection categories against light, not against ultraviolet radiation. Category 2-3 glasses can provide better UV protection for your eyes than category 4 glasses. Pay attention to other factors and labels.

According to the material of manufacture of lenses, sunglasses can be divided into:

Glass. High-quality glass lenses block 100% of ultraviolet rays, which is their main advantage. Of the shortcomings - big weight and injury risk in the event of a fall or accident;
- plastic;
- acrylic;
- polycarbonate;
- polyurethane.

All lenses made of artificial materials have similar advantages: atraumatic, light, low price, and disadvantages: they are easily scratched and damaged. Maximum protection from ultraviolet does not exceed 95%. Look for UVA and UVB markings on glasses with synthetic lenses. The numbers show what percentage of radiation these glasses block. The UV400 marking indicates complete UV protection.

The following lens markings are also possible:

1. Cosmetic (marking on labels - Cosmetic). Lenses of this class are more reasonably classified as aesthetic than really healthy - they pass from 51 to 100% of UV rays. It makes sense to choose such sunglasses for wearing during the season when the sun is the least active.

2. Universal (marking on labels - General). According to ophthalmologists, this category of lenses is ideal for the climate of our latitudes. Such lenses transmit less than half of the dangerous ultraviolet radiation, usually 20-50%. In addition, sunglasses of this class are well suited for wearing in the city, where a large stream of sunlight does not reach the ground due to dense urban development.

3. Special (marking on labels - High UV-protection). This class of lenses most reliably protects the sensitive retina from burns. These sunglasses are indispensable on vacation, especially in highlands, near the water, or vice versa - on the ski slopes, when the snow multiplies the amount of sunlight.

There are several ways to limit the light flux with lenses:

1. Absorption: tinting or darkening glass. The most common way, allows you to get the points of the most different colors and shades, as well as different levels light transmission. By itself, tinting does not delay ultraviolet rays in any way, so it is necessary to look at the protective characteristics of the lens material.

2. Photochromic effect (chameleon lenses) - the introduction of a substance into the lens that darkens in sunlight.
Photochromic lenses darken when exposed to ultraviolet light. In a room where there is no ultraviolet light, they gradually brighten. Photochromic lenses are made from glass, polycarbonate and other plastics.
Artificial lighting does not work on these lenses unless it contains the short ultraviolet waves emitted by the sun.
Photochromic lenses usually darken and brighten in less than a minute, but the full transition from one state to another occurs from 5 to 15 minutes. You can check the quality of a photochromic lens by going to sunlight and covering one section of the lens with your finger. A high-quality lens will darken in about 1 minute, while the covered area will remain light.

3. Polarizing filter- absorption by special films or glass with crystals of reflected light from flat surfaces.
Polarized lenses are made using substances that have the ability to filter out plane polarized rays to reduce glare from a horizontal, or near-horizontal, reflective surface (eg, water, snow, wet asphalt) or stray skylight. These lenses can be made from glass, but are mostly made from plastic, such as those coated with polaroid film. Polaroid film blocks 40-60% of the light, so these glasses are also sunglasses.
You can easily check the quality of polarized lenses: take two pairs of glasses, align the lenses with their centers, turn one perpendicular to the other and look at the light. If the lenses are of high quality, the lumen will be dark.

4. Reflection: mirror based coating on outer surface lenses of one thin translucent layer of some non-oxidizing metal (chromium, silver, gold, platinum).
Lenses with a mirror coating can be colored, and the color of the mirror does not depend on the color of the lens. For example, there may be gray lenses with a blue mirror or brown lenses with a silver mirror. This mirror surface absorbs little heat from the sun and heats up less than lenses without a mirror.

5. Interference of light with the help of numerous ultra-thin coatings on lenses that refract rays in different ways and create the effect of multi-colored mirrors. Based on the same principle anti-reflective coating With reverse side lenses.
Interference coatings differ from ordinary mirror coatings in a much greater color variety, since their color depends not only on the substances used, but on the number and thickness of the refractive layers. Such coatings can be of any color from mirror silver to dark purple, and some are multi-colored when viewing the same lens from different angles (an effect such as a rainbow reflection from an oil or gasoline film on water).
The disadvantage of mirror and interference coatings is that it is usually easily scratched and loses not only appearance, but also its light protection and transparency.

6. Application of glass with oxides of rare earth elements: neodymium oxide or didymium oxide (a mixture of neodymium and praseodymium). Such lenses are purple or gray in color and are capable of absorbing yellow rays sharply, which is why goggles are worn with them during glass blowing.
Such glasses also absorb ultraviolet rays well and, in principle, can be used to protect against sunlight. They also enhance (as if illuminate) red, orange, green colors and can be used by drivers, as they sharpen the visibility of signal lights.
However, in pure form didymium and neodymium glasses have a total light absorption of the 2nd category and when used as sun protection for very high light require additional measures brightness reduction.

In the same lenses, coloring, polarization, gradation, photochromic effect and mirror coating can be used simultaneously in various combinations.
Also in modern glasses, gradation or gradient dimming is often used - this is when the lens is darker at the top and lighter at the bottom. Gradient shading is comfortable for the eyes, if the darkest part is at eye level, the lens is lighter towards the bottom.

That's all for today.
In the next, final article, we will talk about the shapes and colors of sunglasses and how to choose them taking into account individual characteristics appearance.

The selection of sunglasses is an important and difficult task. If you think that it is only about fashion brands, then you are greatly mistaken. Did you know that when you are going to walk around the city on a sunny day and packing your bags for a vacation at the sea, you should take different sunglasses?

Everyone knows that sunlight contains ultraviolet rays that are harmful to humans and must be protected from. Do you think that glasses save from them? Not at all. Ultraviolet rays such as UV-A and UV-B completely block ordinary transparent glass and some types of plastic. There is also a third type of UV rays "C", but the ozone layer of the earth's atmosphere successfully copes with it. By the way, since we are talking about ultraviolet, reflective surfaces multiply harmful effect from UV rays. That is why it is easy to get burned in the mountains and at the sea (snow reflects light by 90%, the water surface by 70%), and it is difficult on the shore of a forest lake or river (the reflectivity of green grass is only 30%). All these radiations are not visible, but only perceptible. And the dark glasses of sunglasses are designed to save our eyes from the visible part of the harmful sunlight. It is the visible bright light that makes us squint our eyes and “make faces”, albeit not on purpose.

So, all sunglasses have a filter designed for varying degrees illumination. In total, there are 5 degrees of protection for our eyes, and on the product of a responsible manufacturer, the category of sunglasses filter is indicated by the corresponding number.

• "0" means that the lenses of the glasses transmit 80-100% of the light. This is the most low degree protection, such glasses are only suitable on a cloudy day.
• "1" - 43-80% light transmission. Ideal for days when thick clouds change clear sky, that is, for partly cloudy and only for the city.
• "2" let in 18-43% of the light and are also suitable for urban life. Bright sunny day, shopping trip - here ideal conditions in order to put on glasses marked "2".
• "3". Light transmittance - 8-18%. Sunglasses with filter categories "1" and "2" are suitable for everyday urban life, and only these, marked "3", can and should be chosen for a trip to the sea. This protection will endure sunbathing on the beach, and boat trips.
• "4" means the highest degree of protection of the retina from damaging light. Bandwidth 3–8%. The choice of such filters for glasses belongs to climbers and tourists climbing mountains.

As you can see, choosing glasses is not so easy. Hardly to be expected required amount important information about each copy of the goods on street stalls, where not every unit of goods has packaging. Only once having tried to trust the real quality firm for sun protection products, you don't want to go back to the suspicious market range. Ours could be one of the best purchases of your life. worldwide famous brand RB has already made the lives of millions of people brighter and their views safer.

Take advantage of the best, because you are already with us!

When choosing regular sunglasses, the main criteria are attractive design, wearing comfort and, of course, effective protection from sunlight. Another thing - sunglasses for active rest and extreme sports. They should not only delay harmful ultraviolet radiation, but also protect the eyes from wind, dust, snow, rain, mechanical stress and changes in the intensity of the light flux. Modern high-tech sports glasses fully meet these requirements. Impact resistance is provided by materials such as polycarbonate and trivex, and high-definition vision is provided by high-quality polarized lenses that neutralize light reflection from the surface of ice, wet asphalt and water. Sports glasses are very diverse, so when buying them, you must take into account the features of a particular sport.

Today, most manufacturers produce glasses with a set of interchangeable lenses for different lighting conditions, which makes it possible to use them at any time of the day and in any weather. People with visual impairments can purchase spectacles with a special Optical Clip, where appropriate corrective lenses can be inserted. There are also glasses that provide for the installation of diopter lenses of the required darkening and color instead of the main lenses.

What is the importance of the color of the lenses and the degree of their darkening

Two main parameters of sunglasses depend on the color of the lenses and its intensity: light absorption and light transmission. The amount of light transmission indicates what percentage of sunlight passes through the lens, and is determined by the average value of the light transmission coefficient.

2 - light transmission is 18–43%.

3 - lenses transmit 8–18% of light.
4 - less than 8% light transmission (very dark lenses fall into this category).

Meaning of lens color for sports glasses

The color of the lenses of sports glasses is chosen depending on the sport and weather conditions.

Glasses with clear or slightly tinted lenses are suitable for protecting your eyes from dust, wind, sand, insects and of course UV radiation. These glasses are optimal for outdoor recreation with a slight sunlight or at dusk.

Amber and yellow lenses enhance the contrast of vision, so they are often recommended for hunters and cyclists. Mirrored lens coatings will reduce light reflection and help cyclists see the road better.

Green and blue lenses are suitable for tennis players: through them the ball is clearly visible against the background of the court or grass.

For water sports enthusiasts, it is better to wear goggles with polarized lenses. The main advantage of these lenses is the ability to neutralize the light reflected by the surface of the water.

Gray lenses retain natural lighting, do not distort color perception, neutralize bright sunlight. They are necessary for fishermen to fish in shallow water.

Useful for fishing and glasses with lenses of yellow and Brown color. yellow lenses good in low light conditions: in fog or twilight, and brown - in bright light.

For fans of winter sports, the most rational choice there will be points with
orange and brown lenses. Orange lenses allow you to see the topography of the snowy terrain better on cloudy weather, and brown lenses on a clear sunny day. It will not be superfluous and a mirror coating to reduce light reflection.

Iridescent mirrored lenses shimmer in different shades of gray and blue color. They soften the irritating effect of bright sunlight and increase the contrast of vision. Glasses with such lenses are optimal for recreation and sports in the mountains and on the water.

Specialized Sunglasses - required attribute cyclists, climbers, skiers, hunters and fishermen, shooters, tennis players, yachtsmen and people leading active image life. Modern technologies provide maximum comfort and safety for the use of glasses when exercising various types sports

› Ray-Ban lenses: types and degrees of shading

Ray-Ban lenses: types and degrees of shading

If you still think that the choice of color, material and shape is the most important thing that happens when buying sunglasses, then we will have to disappoint you: this is a big mistake.

In fact, to protect your eyes from the sun and reflective surfaces, the degree of tint and the type of lenses are the most important. AT-)

Degrees: everyone get out of the twilight!

• 0 : transparent (80-100% light transmission). These can be called lenses with diopters, designed to be worn in medical purposes. Or "null" image points.


• 1 : light (43-80% light transmission). This degree is suitable if you wear glasses in cloudy weather or use them as part of your look.


• 2 : medium (18-43% light transmission). Such lenses are good for driving a car, the most versatile.


• 3 : strong (8-18% light transmission). These goggles are perfect for the summer season when the sun is really merciless.Classic for the brand Ray-Ban lenses G-15 (dark green) and B-15 (dark brown) let in 15% of the light.


• 4 : maximum (3-8% light transmission). The lenses are designed for protection in mountainous snowy terrain. Such glasses can be called specialized, they are not suitable for everyday use (for example, you can’t see anything while driving). Ray-Ban does not have glasses with these lenses.


• 5 : Out of range (less than 3% light transmission). If you're a glacier climber or a welder, this is the one for you. B-) Ray-Ban doesn't have glasses with these lenses.

Special cases among Ray-Ban lenses:

• Lenses with Top Gradient Mirror and Double Gradient Mirror technology blocking from 4% of light;


• Lenses RB-50 and RB-50 Ultra, released in 1987 for the anniversary and transmitting from 5% of the light;


• G-31 lenses designed for arctic/desert/mountain travel with 8% light transmission.

Lens type: mysterious letters

What do these mysterious letters give us?

N: This type can be called classic, because it involves a lens made of glass or plastic with a standard UV filter.

How to choose polarized sunglasses for drivers? In this article, we will take a closer look at the question of what polarized glasses for the driver choose according to modern achievements optical industry.

UV protection. At human eye has its own system for adjusting the incoming light, consisting of the outer part - the eyelids of the eye and the inner - the pupil. In order to reduce the amount of light entering a bright sunny weather we squint and our pupil shrinks to minimum dimensions. At the same time, the amount of ultraviolet rays also decreases tenfold.

When a person wears sunglasses most of The incoming light is filtered by the lenses, so you no longer have to squint and the pupil diameter increases again. That is, the natural defense mechanism given to us by nature is turned off. An enlarged pupil will let in dozens of times more ultraviolet rays, which have a detrimental effect on the lens and retina of the eye. Therefore, it is better to walk without any glasses at all than with glasses without UV protection.

It should be noted that the windows of modern cars have UV protection, so you can feel safe inside the car.

The degree of darkness. Sunglasses are divided into 5 categories according to the degree of darkening:

Sunglasses for drivers are usually equipped with category 2 and 3 lenses.

Toning color. Having decided on the category, you should choose the color of the tint. This is a purely subjective matter, everyone chooses what he likes, but still we will try to give basic recommendations. Consider the most common colors of tinting:

1. Green. It has a calming and relaxing effect. It used to be used everywhere and was considered the most suitable for sunglasses. Recommended for patients with glaucoma.

2. Gray (aka black, smoky, etc.). Evenly absorbs all colors and therefore does not affect color rendering. The best option in sunglasses for driving.

3. Brown. Increases contrast, but as a result - fatigue eye.

4. Yellow and orange. Such tinting is used for driving under conditions of poor visibility, on a cloudy day, fog, rain and even at night.

5. Blue. Delays yellow and orange rays. This tint is used in medium and bright light. Increases contrast and does not distort colors.

6. Blue, pink, red. Such tints are not particularly common, as they have many disadvantages, and also do not provide proper light absorption. Glasses with such lenses are usually used to create an image, they are not of interest to us within the framework of this article.

Glass or plastic? AT recent times high-quality plastic crowds glass on all fronts. This happens for many reasons: plastic is cheaper, lighter and stronger. At the same time, it, like glass, provides 100% UV protection and proper light absorption. Particularly popular as a material for the lenses of sunglasses received a hardened type of plastic - polycarbonate. It is often stronger than the frame itself and is therefore recommended for sports sunglasses, as well as driving sunglasses (such lenses can withstand an airbag and are injury-free). But both plastic and polycarbonate lose to glass in terms of scratch resistance, even despite all the modern protective coatings. And one more advantage of glass over plastic is that even on a hot sunny day it does not heat up and the eyes are in relative coolness, which has a positive effect on comfort.

Polarization. Polarized glasses for the driver polarized glasses for drivers or anti-glare glasses for drivers) cut off the sun's rays reflected from horizontal surfaces (wet asphalt, snow, car windows, water surface, etc.). The option is extremely useful, because such glasses can be used not only for driving, but also at sea or in the mountains, and they are also suitable for urban use.

Myself polarizing filter is a thin film inside or on the back of the lens. It cannot be visually identified, but it exists the right way check glasses for polarization. To do this, you need to sit in front of a computer monitor (the screens of modern smartphones and tablets are not suitable for this) with glasses and tilt your head to your left shoulder. If at some point the screen completely darkens, then polarization is present. Polarized glasses for the driver are not recommended for use when poor lighting or in dark time days, as they significantly reduce illumination.

Anti-reflective coating. About UV protection and polarization is written in almost every article on the choice of sunglasses, but there is no information about anti-reflective coating, although this is very important point. Sunglasses have an anti-reflective coating on the inside of the lenses so that rays coming from behind the back or from the side do not reflect off the lenses and into your eyes. Particularly relevant this problem for owners of sunglasses with glass lenses, because glass reflects light much better than plastic. Therefore, when choosing such glasses, do not skimp and pay extra for lenses with anti-glare.

It is by the presence of an anti-reflective coating that one can identify high-quality sunglasses for driving. To determine the presence of anti-reflective, look at the inner surface of the lens and tilt the glasses at different angles. If you see a blue-violet reflection, then this means that the anti-reflective coating is present.

As you can see in this picture, lenses without anti-reflection reflect the incident light quite strongly, in use they will glare decently, while lenses with anti-reflection reflect light much less.

Curvature of glasses. Another important characteristic when choosing sunglasses for drivers, which few people pay attention to, is the basic curvature of the lenses. Usually it ranges from 6 (flat glasses), to 9 (sports, close-fitting glasses). For driving, it is best to choose exactly adjacent glasses (8-9 base curvature).

In this case, a minimum of light will fall into the openings between the glasses and your face and, accordingly, will distract you less. The lenses should be large enough to cover the eyes from the periphery. In this case, you do not have to rotate your head with glasses if you need to look in the side mirror, it will be enough just to move the pupil.

Lens shape. In 1937, Ray-Ban produced the first sunglasses designed for US Air Force pilots. This model was called "Aviator" and it had a characteristic teardrop shape specially adapted for aircraft control.

Sunglasses on Tom Cruise's face in Top Gun.

This form was so successful that today it is the most popular among manufacturers of sunglasses. This shape (as well as its various variations) is also great for driving glasses.

Rim glasses. The thinner, the better. A frameless option would be ideal, since in this case the frame will not limit the viewing angle. The temples should also be thin so as not to obscure peripheral vision.

Great example of driving glasses.

It is also advisable to keep weight to a minimum, because on long trips, heavy glasses (especially with glass lenses) will put pressure on the bridge of the nose, which will cause you to once again be distracted by correcting them or massaging a tired nose.

Conclusions. All things considered, the ideal polarized driver sunglasses are frameless sunglasses with lightweight polycarbonate lenses and thin temples. Lens tint degree 2 or 3. The tint color can be gray, green, brown or blue, depending on the preference of the person. Lenses must be equipped with polarizing technology, and also have an anti-reflective coating on inner surface. The frame of the glasses should be light, durable and safety. Material - lightweight plastic, steel alloy, and best of all titanium. Base curvature 8-9 lenses, aviator or similar shape, wide enough to cover the sides of the eyes.