Firmoo's Blog - Articles of Eye Care from Our Expert Bloggers

How to Choose Tint for Sunglasses According to Your Particular Lifestyle

June 1st, 2011 by Sam Sutton No comments »

Sunglasses tints are very popular and helpful to ensure you to see clearly in the bright sunlight. Now, there is a wide range of tints available so that you can choose your favorite tint according to different requirement. Different colored tints filter light in different ways. For example, some tints do a better job to block out light than other. Some tints may cause distortion of color, while some can enhance color. Maybe you always like one kind of tint, but you’d better choose the suitable one according to your particular lifestyle. Here’ a guide that helps you choose proper tint for your sunglasses.

Grey－As a popular neutral tint, gray allows the eyes to perceive colors in their purest form. It can reduce brightness and glare. So it is suitable for outdoor sports such as cycling, running, etc.

Rose－Rose allows about 77% of visible light transmittance inside, 60% light transmittance outside. They are helpful for computer users to reduce glare and alleviate eye strain, so they become a favorite among computer users. Besides, these tints have a good reputation of being soothing to the eyes and more comfortable than others for longer wear-times.

Yellow－Yellow allows 77% of visible light transmittance inside, 60% light transmittance outside. They are good at improving contrast in foggy or low-light condition. So they cam make objects look sharper but they may cause color distortion. They are good option for shooters, skiers.

Yellow

Brown－Brown does a good job at enhancing our view. Because they can reduce glare and block out blue light. And these tints improve contrast and visual acuity, especially against green and blue background such as grass by means of blocking blue light. They are often made for driving sunglasses, suitable for fishing, hunting, etc.

Purple－Purple allows about 70% of visible light transmittance inside and 20% outside. It provides natural color perception when protecting the eyes.

purple

Blue－Blue allows 70% visible light transmittance inside, 30% light transmittance outside. Blue is a contrast lens and reduces glare from visible white light.

blue

Gradient tint－Gradient tint can reduce glasses and light intensity while allowing you sees words clearly when you read by using the bottom portion.

There are a variety of sunglasses with different styles and designs, such as aviator sunglasses, wraparound sunglasses. No matter what kind of sunglasses you choose, you’d better choose proper tint for sunglasses you select according to your particular lifestyle.

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Posted in Sunglasses

Tags: Clip-on sunglasses sunglasses tint

Three Kinds of Sunglasses for People Suffering Vision Problems

May 31st, 2011 by David Wachler No comments »

Nowadays, the number of people who suffer vision problems such as myopia is on the rise. Their eyes are very delicate due to their problems. So they should pay more attention to protect their eyes compared with common people especially in the hot summer. As we know, the harmful UV rays are strong enough to damage our eyes, especially the defective eyes. So people wear various kinds of sunglasses to block harmful UV rays. However, it is not easy for people who suffer vision problems to find proper sunglasses. As it is of great importance to protect eyes for them, the following three kinds of sunglasses will help them out.

Clip on sunglasses– they are also called magnetic clip-on or sunshade models. In fact, they are not sunglasses and they also can become common regular rx eyeglasses. They will turn to a pair of new sunglasses if you attach them a pair of clip-on lenses. Consisting of two lenses, clip-on sunglass is a combination of a pair of rx glasses and a pair of polarized sunglasses. So they can offer you vision aids and eye protection against UV rays. Thanks to the foldable feature, you can take the outside layer off when you don’t need them.

Rx eyeglasses with tint– there is another way for people who have poor eyesight to meet their demand of wearing sunglasses. You can make your rx glasses tinted. After that, your common rx glasses will turn out to be a pair of sunglasses. When it comes to tints, you should know necessary information about different tints that have different effects. For example, amber tint can block out blue light and improve contrast. And then choose UV coating for your rx glasses. So take your time to find the suitable tint and add UV coating for your rx glasses, which can make your common rx glasses become a pair of fresh sunglasses.

Wraparound rx sunglasses– they are really rx sunglasses made of rx lenses. Different from common rx sunglasses which consist of rx glasses and tints, they are specially made of rx lenses during the manufacturing process. So they are much helpful for people who suffer vision problems. In addition, compared with common rx glasses, wraparound rx sunglasses offer better eye protection because they can prevent UV rays and glare from all angles, while common sunglasses block strong sunlight only from the frontal angle, which lets sunlight still have access to enter into your eyes. Beside, you also can make a fashion statement with them because of their fashionable design.

A lot of eye problem sufferers are eager to get proper sunglasses to prevent harmful sun rays and make a fashion statement as well. These three kinds of sunglasses mentioned above will absolutely meet their needs. As summer is coming, just go ahead and find the most suitable one for you.

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Posted in Sunglasses

Tags: Clip on glasses prescription sunglasses (RX Sunglasses)

How to Choose Men’s Prescription Eyeglasses

May 30th, 2011 by Paul Benjamin No comments »

As we know, women are likely to pay more attention to the style of eyeglasses while purchasing eyeglasses. Different from women, men lay much emphasis on other things when buying new glasses for vision correction. The top three priorities come to comfort, durability and fitness. Also, they won’t neglect style but it is not important as fit and comfort are.

According to a survey done by the Vision Council, more than 88% men choose comfort and fit as their priorities when it comes to choosing frames of men’s rx eyeglasses. Another 59% think durability is of great importance in a frame. Besides, they may consider other things such as spring hinges and flexible frames.

As comfort and fit are the most important aspects when men choose eyeglasses, here’s a guide that will help you choose ideal men’s rx eyeglasses. First, be sure that the frames fit with the width of your face. If so, it will prevent the temples from pressing the sides of your head. Besides, choose frames where the edges extend a little bit beyond your face, which can ensure that the temples won’t brush your head when extending back toward the ears.

Second, pay attention to the proper length of the temples. When the frames fit well, the curve found at the temple’s end needs to extend over your ear but should not press down. On the contrary, if you feel uncomfortable, you need ask your opticians to adjust it.

Third, be sure that the nose piece fits properly. Recently, men’s rx eyeglasses are equipped with silicone pads that are more adjustable. You can do something to test your glasses if it stays in place such as doing exercise and bending, etc.

Because durability is men’s main concern while buying eyeglasses, they had better choose flexible materials such as stainless steel, titanium or flexon for frames. Take flexon as an example. It is a titanium based alloy and retains its shape even when it is bent, twisted or crushed. Therefore, flexon may be ideal flexible material for frames.

Except their main concerns, men also can choose rx eyeglasses with chic style. Among various styles, they can choose an aviator style which is always popular among men. Men who like the retro style can choose plastic rx eyeglasses from thin plastics, black frames and layered looks.

Generally speaking, the above guide will be much helpful for you to choose suitable men’s rx eyeglasses meeting your needs.

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Posted in Eyeglasses

Tags: Mens glasses

Alleviate Migraine by Wearing Sunglasses

May 29th, 2011 by Edward Turner No comments »

It is well-known that sunglasses are of great importance to provide wearers eye protection by blocking out the harmful UV rays especially in the hot summer as well as fashionable accessories. Except these features, sunglasses are really more helpful than we expected. According to recent proof, sunglasses are useful for us to alleviate migraines. Tinted lenses of sunglasses can help people who have difficulties in reading and suffer migraine.

In some situations, viewing striped patterns for some people may give rise to a migraine or even more serious disease- a seizure because of the illusion of shifting color and motion. When you take tinted lenses, your doctor test your eyes and find the perfect hue and saturation that can fight this effect that reduce the eye-melting optical illusion to something you can handle and reduce the chance of suffering an annoying headache. In addition, it is said that tinted lenses can also help people who suffer dyslexia caused by a similar problem.

It is reported that the new research has tested these theories and offered the solid evidence that sunglasses do have the function to alleviate these problems. When people who suffer migraine take on sunglasses, there is reduced cortical activation in the visual area of the occipital cortex of the brain that has something to do with the onset of migraine.

Beside, some people may suffer serious migraines by looking at certain patterns because they have difficulties in reading due to visual distortion. It is helpful for them to go to their optometrists and get some tinted sunglasses. They may get relieved with the alleviation of their problems.

From the above stated, we can benefit a lot from wearing sunglasses. For example, they not only protect our eyes from strong sunlight but also help us make a fashion statement. They will be much useful to some certain people who suffer migraines. As there is a wide range of sunglasses, you can find the suitable one for you such as prescription sunglasses, wraparound rx sunglasses, sport sunglasses or other tinted sunglasses, etc.

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Posted in Sunglasses

Tags: rx sunglasses

Tips for Selecting Proper Sunglasses Lens Color for Different Riding Conditions

May 26th, 2011 by Edward Turner No comments »

Nowadays, more and more people become enthusiasts of cycling. They pay much attention to their gear of cycling. Among their gear, cycling sunglass is a must-have item. There are a variety of cycling sunglasses available for you. People use sunglasses frames to match their bike, lenses and even put a built-in MP3 player. Besides frames, the lens color has a great influence on your performance. They are often confused about what kind of lens color they should choose among a seemingly endless array of options. Here’s a guide that will tell you the different lens color is suitable for the conditions in which you ride.

Black or grey lenses

Black, gray and smoke lenses are the best lens color for bright condition because they can weaken the bright sunlight, which will ease the eye strain. Besides, gray won’t cause any distortion of color of objects while other lens color may do such as some bright lens color. So gray is also an ideal color for driving sunglasses.

Suitable for: road rides even on sunny days.

Not for: mountain biking. You may not get clear view when you go to a trail because gray don’t improve contrast or depth perception.

Brown lenses

Among these lens colors, brown is always an ideal lens color. It not only weaken bight light but also improves contrast, clarity and depth perception. Moreover, they also can enhance shades of green, such as grass because they can filter out blue light.

Suitable for: mountain biking

Not for: night riding

amber

Amber lenses

It can filter out blue light to increase contrast effectively. It is very helpful to choose it, even when you face rocks and roots that are jumping out at you from the shadows.

Suitable for: mountain biking on cloudy days and on dimly lit trails.

Not for: sunny days

red

Red or rose lenses

Red lens will improve contrast and brighten cloudy days. However, they will cause distortion of colors so they are not suitable for condition in which you need see clear shades of color.

Suitable for: ride in cloudy condition

Not for: sunny days.

Yellow lenses

They are suitable for hazy condition. Yellow improves contrast and clarity so that you can know your position even when you are in dense fog.

Suitable for: road rides in the fog condition such as early morning

Not for: sunny days

Clear lenses

They perform well in dark conditions and are helpful to protect your eyes from dirt, harmful UV rays and other foreign objects.

Suitable for: dark condition

Not for: sunny days

orange

Orange lenses

They work well in darker and cloudy weather.

Suitable for: mountain biking on cloudy days

Not for: sunny days.

blue

Blue lenses

It is true that seldom blue lenses are applied to cycling sunglasses because they will make things look funky. What’s worse, they can’t improve contrast and depth-perception.

Suitable for: a fashion show or party

Not for: road and mountain biking

From the above stated, you must have a clear understanding of the lens color of cycling sunglasses. Choose the proper lens color according to different riding conditions and weather.

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Posted in Sunglasses

Tags: Clip-on sunglasses sports sunglasses

Tips for Choosing Sunglasses for Outdoor Activities

May 25th, 2011 by Angela Garrana No comments »

Nowadays, people are more likely to take various kinds of outdoor activities to releases themselves and enjoy life especially in summer. When it comes to doing outdoor activities in the hot summer, a right pair of sunglasses is of great importance to protect them against harmful UV rays. So I’d like to share tips for choosing suitable sunglasses or sport sunglasses to protect the eyes and enhance your performance as well.

Polarized lenses: Polarized lenses contain a special filter that blocks intense reflected light, reducing glare. Recently, many outdoor enthusiasts who spend time outdoors have discovered the benefits of polarized lenses. Besides boaters, outdoor enthusiasts who benefit the most from polarized sunglasses include skiers, bikers, golfers and joggers, all who may enjoy a clearer view without the influence of glare.

Polycarbonate lenses. Sunglasses with polycarbonate .lenses have better feature of impact-resistance compared to other sunglasses. Due to their impact-resistant feature, they are more durable and unbreakable so that you don’t need worry they will break when you do outdoor activities. Beside, they can filter out 100 percent of UV rays.

Color of lens: Although color of lens has nothing to do with UV protection, different colors work best for different sports. You’d better choose right color that is suitable for the activity you engage in. For instance, golfers should choose amber, brown color that will enhance depth perception and help them distinguish the ball clearly.

Fitness: Fitness is an important fact of sunglasses that will ensure your safety. If sunglasses do not fit you well, they will not protect you properly. In addition, when you take activities such as cycling, running, improper sunglasses are easy to fall off your face, which will affect your eyes and even cause accident. At this aspect, wraparound sunglasses are the ideal choice. Due to the wraparound design, they stay firmly on your face and don’t fall off even when you take activities at the high speed.

Plastic Sunglasses

Bigger lenses: When you take outdoor activities, you inevitably expose your delicate eyes to the strong sunlight. Wraparound lenses will work best compared with other lenses because they will block out harmful UV rays from all angles: the frontal and the sides. Besides, your delicate skin around the eyes will be well protected with larger lenses.

Generally speaking, proper sunglasses will contribute to protecting eyes successfully. It is crucial to add a pair of sunglasses in your list of gear. By the way, if you suffer vision problems, rx sunglasses will help you out, such as wraparound rx sunglasses

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Posted in Sunglasses

Tags: Sunglasses

Lenses of Prescription Sunglasses

May 24th, 2011 by Jean Caster No comments »

Nowadays, prescription sunglasses have attracted more and more people and played an important role in our life. They are specially designed for people with myopia, hyperopia or presbyopia. Prescription sunglasses not only protect users’ eyes but also help them make a fashion statement. So prescription sunglasses are widely used because of their popularity. With the development of technology, we can choose different lenses for our rx sunglasses.

There are sunglasses with bifocal and progressive lenses. This kind of rx sunglasses is suitable for people who suffer presbyopia to deal with near and distant vision problems.

In addition, photochromic lenses are also a popular choice. They will become darker when users stay in the sun and lighter when users go indoors.

Moreover, it is possible to make wrap around sunglasses without distortion by using polycarbonate and high index lenses. Recently, more and more people are likely to purchase wraparound rx sunglasses because these sunglasses with a wrap style can offer better eye protection compared to other sunglasses. They will block out harmful UV rays and glare from all angles: the frontal and the sides. That is to say, harmful rays will have no access to enter into your delicate eyes.

Beside, polarization is another option you can add to your rx sunglasses in order to filter the light wave, which will reduce more glare that regular sunglasses. Add-ons are useful to improve the quality of your vision in a certain way.

High index lenses are very flat and thin. People who like to chase fashion can choose because these lenses can enhance their look as well as meet their prescription needs.

Generally speaking, wearing sunglasses is an important way to protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet light and developing problems caused by the sun such as cataracts. So many people especially people who like do outside activates have a pair sunglasses with good eye protection in their list of gear. If you can get lenses that wrap around your face, you will get even more protection.

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Posted in prescription sunglasses (RX Sunglasses)

Tags: rx sunglasses

Necessary Aspects about Prescription Eyeglasses You Need Know

May 24th, 2011 by Jean Caster No comments »

Eyeglasses have played an important role in improving people’s vision. The invention of rx glasses is revolutionary. Eyeglasses use the same principle that the human lens uses and they work by augmenting the lens function. In the common situation, vision problems are divided into 3 sorts: nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Nearsightedness makes you unable to focus on distant objects, while farsightedness makes you see near objects unclearly. Astigmatism causes images to be distorted. Nowadays, more and more people begin to wear glasses to deal with these problems. Read on the following artless and you will know the processing steps of making rx glasses.

The first step is to determine the correct prescription. The glasses start off as lens blanks that have a flat back surface and a curved front surface. The opticians put the lens blank into a machine. The lens blank will be grinded in to a required curve. The grinding process requires accurate prescription in order to ensure that the prescription of glasses is the same as the required prescription.

After the lenses are ground, they are going to be edged to fit the frame. At this moment, glasses may be tinted or coated for UV protection by inserting them into a tinting solution. Later, opticians may either heat or treat lens with chemicals to make them flexible in order to insert the lenses into frame. At last, the prescription will be double checked by opticians so you don’t need worry about the prescription will not be accurate. Finally glasses are cleaned and packaged and prescription glasses take shape.

Necessary consideration while buying rx glasses

Face shape: it is of importance to take your face shape into consideration. If you are worried about whether the glasses fit you or not, you can try virtual try-on system than will help you find suitable frames.

Lenses material: lenses are one important part of glasses. You will feel very comfortable if you choose lightweight lenses material such as polycarbonate lenses. So make full consideration to choose the right lenses material.

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Posted in Eyeglasses

Tags: prescription eyeglasses

Some People Confront High UV Exposure in U.S.

May 24th, 2011 by Randa Fritch No comments »

Recently, it is reported that people’s eyes and skin in US are susceptible to the harmful UV rays without taking protective measure because they are at high risk of exposure to the UV rays. So less than one in three Americans makes the link between UV rays and eye damage. In fact, the Vision Council had released a report to emphasize the importance of protecting eyes and skin around the eyes. This report illustrates that residents in US are likely to be exposed to the UV at higher level and provides tips to prevent vision problems caused by exposure to UV. In addition, this report says that many cities in US have high UV rays levels.

As Ed Greene, CEO of The Vision Council says that it is of great importance for residents to know clearly about how to protect their eyes from harmful UV rays. He hopes that people can have a better understanding of shielding their eyes and this report can stimulate them to protect their families and themselves.

When it comes to protecting eyes and skin around the eyes, wearing sunglasses is the best way. This report shows details to help customers choose the suitable sunglasses.

1. Focus on UV protection－The function against UV rays is the priority while choosing sunglasses. Qualified sunglasses must prevent both UVA and UVB.

2. Try on sunglasses－It is necessary to try on sunglasses in order to find proper sunglasses that you feel comfortable. Uncomfortable sunglasses will make problem happen to you instead of protecting you.

3. Purchase several pairs－Sunglasses with different lenses suit various activities. For example, if you want to do outdoor sports, sports sunglasses will be the ideal choice. If you suffer vision problem such as myopia, you will get good UV protection with the help of prescription sunglasses.

4. Know lens color－Although lens color has nothing to do with UV protection, different lens colors will have different influence. Grey can prevent UV and don’t cause any distortion of objects. Yellow or amber color is advantageous for wearers to recognize traffic signals so drivers are more likely to choose sunglasses with yellow or amber color.

5. Choose design－Although there are a lot of designs available in the market, for extra protection, wraparound sunglasses with larger temple pieces and lenses will block more UV rays from all angles: the frontal and the sides. Therefore, compared to other sunglasses wraparound sunglasses have better function of UV protection. Besides, wraparound rx sunglasses will be very helpful for people who have vision problems.

Generally speaking, together with sunscreen, hat, or other accessories, it is crucial for people to wear sunglasses.

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Posted in Others

Tags: UV Exposure UV rays

What Are the High Street Hottest Sunglasses for Women

May 19th, 2011 by Edward Turner No comments »

These years a lot of people become a sunglasses aficionado because wearing stylish sunglasses is a great way to get attention especially in summer. So sunglasses have become the must-have item for fashionistas. The following types of sunglasses are the hottest sunglasses for women to help them become a high street hot person.

Cat eye sunglasses

Retro style heats up as a major trend this season. Many celebrities become huge fans of retro style sunglasses. Cat eye sunglasses are fit with a wide range of faces. For example, a cat eye frame with rounded-out edges will work wonders for a square face or diamond shaped face. Moreover, cat eye sunglasses will work well with many outfits with different styles, from the very modern to the complete vintage.

Cat eye sunglasses

Wraparound sunglasses

Wraparound sunglasses with a variety of color and lenses attract lots of women. Similar to oversized sunglasses, wraparound sunglasses flatter your face and make you stand out from the crowd. Beside, compared to other sunglasses, they offer wearers better eye protection by blocking harmful UV rays from all angles, while other sunglasses only prevent UV rays from the frontal side. That is to say, some UV ray still gets access to your delicate eyes. If you suffer vision problem, wraparound rx sunglasses will be your ideal choice to enhance your appearance and protect the eyes as well.

Aviator Sunglasses

Known as pilot sunglasses, aviator sunglasses are always the popular type that never goes out of date. In the past, only men are likely to wear them. However, not only men but also women are crazy about aviator sunglasses including many celebrities such as Hayden Panettiere, Taylor Momsen, etc. In addition, aviator sunglasses can match most face shapes so you don’t need to worry about whether your sunglasses suit your face shape or not.

Aviator Sunglasses 2

Aviator Sunglasses 3

Butterfly sunglasses

Recently, a lot of women especially celebrities are also obsessed with butterfly sunglasses that is the absolute hot style of the year. The unique shape that has just a tiny “pinch” at the side to create the outline of butterfly wings is such a success and has inspired many designers to use the same shape in their new sunglasses styles this year. There are always prints on the sunglasses temple. In fact floral prints are one of the most popular elements that are used by many famous designers such as designers of Ray Ban who seldom use print element in the past.