Our Guide to choosing Sunglasses
Why do I need sunglasses?
We know that the sun's rays can cause damage to the skin so we take precautions in the form of sun cream. The sun's rays can also damage our eyes so you should always wear sunglasses to protect the eyes from premature ageing and illness. Our sunglasses are fitted with UV400 lenses to block out harmful rays and provide adequate levels of protection, as well as making you look cool at the same time.Which sunglasses provide the best protection for my eyes?
Always look for the British Standard EN 1836: 2005 and the CE mark. All Foster Grant sunglasses are manufactured to meet these guidelines as a minimum standard to give you 100% protection from UVA rays that tan the skin and speed up premature ageing and UVB rays, responsible for sunburn and damaging our eyes. All of our sunglasses are fitted with UV400 lenses and offer the highest level of protection from the sun that money can buy.
Are the more expensive sunglasses better quality?
Not necessarily, just make sure they meet the required standards as above. You can be confident when purchasing a pair of Foster Grant sunglasses as all styles have UV400 lenses, provide maximum UV protection and meet the EN 1836: 1997 standards.
Which lens colours are best?
The colour of the lens depends largely on personal choice, ie style, fashion and purpose. Again, we recommend that the glasses you choose comply with the standards and offer the level of UV protection required.
Some fashion lenses may be very light or almost clear and therefore not really comfortable on a bright sunny day but they are absolutely fine if you just want to look cool and still have UV400 protection.
The most popular colours are varying shades of grey and brown as they provide an adequate level of shade to the eyes without distorting natural colour too much. Our sunglasses come with a variety of lens colours and below are some tips on choosing the right colour for you.
Grey lenses are considered neutral because they do not enhance contrast or distort colors.
Brown and green lenses cause some minimal color distortion but have contrast-enhancing properties.
Red lenses are good for medium and lower light conditions because they are good at enhancing contrast but can cause color distortion.
Orange and yellow lenses have the best contrast enhancement at depth perception but cause color distortion.
Yellow lenses are commonly used for driving and sports for contrast enhancement and depth perception properties.
Blue and purple lenses offer no real benefits and are mainly cosmetic.
Clear lenses are used typically to protect the eyes from impact, debris, dust, or chemicals.
Some sunglasses with interchangeable lens have optional clear lenses to protect the eyes during low light or night time activities.
Blue blocking sunglasses typically also block some light of other colors to function well in full sunlight. Some low blue glasses are for use inside at night to avoid suppression of the sleep promoting hormone melatonin. They provide enough light so normal evening activities can continue.
What are the most popular lens types?
Acrylic is the most commonly used sunglass lens material that is much lighter and more scratch resistant than glass so therefore more comfortable to wear. All Foster Grant acrylic lenses have a scratch resistant coating.
Polycarbonate is light weight yet incredibly strong so ideal for sports and leisure activities.
Polarised eliminates glare caused by light reflecting off flat or shiny surfaces such as water, the car dash etc and are ideal for driving as well as outdoor activities such as fishing and sailing. See our superb Polarised high performance active wear collection of sunglasses.
What different lens types are available?
Solid offers an even colour over the whole of the lens
Graduated are darker nearer the top than the bottom or graduate from one darker colour to another lighter one e.g. grey to pink. They're great in cloudier conditions or if you are looking for a funky dual-tone look.
Fashion tints come in a huge variety of single or dual tone lens colours and are ideal for when you want to make a statement. We recommend however that you take care that the sunglasses you choose comply with the EN standards so that they provide maximum UV protection and are distortion free.
Driving lenses generally feature specialist amber to brown shades to enhance contrast and definition. We have a great selection of stylish Drivers sunglasses with anti-reflective coatings that are ideal for driving in all-weather.
Mirror coatings come in various forms and colours and are applied to the back or front of the lens. A full mirror coating covers the entire lens and a graduated mirror coating covers only part (usually the top half). Flash mirror coatings are light in coverage and used to enhance the look of many fashion lenses.
Mirror Finishes allow added glare reflection and are ideal for lighter coloured lenses and sports styles. They also look great, add colour and interest to the sunglasses and are good for hiding behind too.
What are filter categories?
Filter categories are the level of visible light that is allowed to travel through the lens without affecting the UV protection.
A very light coloured lens is likely filter category 0 or 1, medium tint 2 and dark tint 3. There is also a filter category 4 but it is very dark and not recommended for driving (we do not supply sunglasses with filter category 4 lenses).
The filter category of the lens should be shown on the sunglass label. Always check as the European standard dictates that it should appear.
Which style best suits my face?
Always try on a number of styles to see which look the best and feel the most comfortable. Follow our tips for the best results.
Heart Shaped Face - The best styles are without doubt delicate ovals, rounded or squared off at the outer edges and frames that are no wider than the temples. Avoid heart shaped styles as they echo the shape of the face.
Long Face - You should look for wide, large frames that extend slightly beyond the temples. Soft rectangles and squares are also good for long faces but not small square styles.
Round Face - Choose slightly angular styles like soft squares, swept up cat eye shapes, slightly elongated ovals and rectangles. Steer clear of small round glasses or very large styles.
Square Face - We recommend finer frames and oval styles that soften the jaw line, or rounded shapes with a straight top. Keep away from square styles and those that are wider than the face.
Which Frame is best?
Frames are generally made from plastic, nylon, a metal or metal alloy. Nylon frames are usually used in sports because they are lightweight and durable. Metal frames are usually more rigid than nylon frames but can be more easily damaged when used in sporting activities. Because metal frames are more rigid, some models have spring loaded hinges to help them grip the face better. Our frames come in three common styles: full frame, half frame, and frameless. Some sports-oriented sunglasses have interchangeable lenses to allow you to switch when light conditions or activities change.
What is a Nose Bridge?
A nose bridge allows support between the lens and the face. Nose bridges also prevent pressure marks caused by the weight of the lens or frame on the cheeks. If you consider that you have a larger nose then pick a style with a low nose bridge. People with medium noses may need a low or medium nose bridge and those of you with a small nose should pick out sunglasses with high nose bridges to allow clearance.
What's hot?
Fashion comes and goes but here are some contemporary styles of sunglasses to look out for in our latest collection.
Very large sunglasses mimicking the kind most famously worn by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in the 1960's. The style eventually became popular in America around 2003 and "Jackie O's" are now hugely popular with all women all over the world including modern day celebrities who use them to hide from the paparazzi.
Foster Grant style "Limelight" £19.99
Mirror shades are sunglasses with a mirrored coating on the surface. Popular with police officers in the United States, they earned the nickname "cop shades". The two most popular styles are dual lenses, set in metal frames and often confused with Aviators plus "Wraparound", a single, smooth, semi-circular lens that covers both eyes and much of the same area of the face. Wraparound sunglasses are also popular in the world of extreme sports.
Foster Grant style "Impose" £19.99
These are sunglasses with an oversized teardrop-shaped lens and thin metal frames that first appeared in 1936 when issued to U.S. military aviators. Their popularity with pilots, military and law enforcement personnel in the United States has never wavered. As a fashion statement, models of aviator sunglasses are often made in mirrored, coloured and wrap-around styles. The aviator gained popularity in the late 1960's due to films such as "Easy Rider" and then on through the 70's and early 80's. They've witnessed a major revival in the 2000's with the interest shown in retro-fashion.
Foster Grant style "Dude" £9.99
First introduced by Ray-Ban, the Wayfarer design has been popularized since the 1950s by Hollywood celebrities such as James Dean and is thought to be the best selling sunglasses design style to date.
Foster Grant style "Brothers" £9.99
Any Questions?
We hope that you found this information helpful. If you would like further help or want to ask a question, then we'd be glad to hear from you. Just drop us an email and we'll get back to you promptly.
