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By: Paul Norinsel on Mon May 12, 2008

Today’s prescription sunglasses are better than the sort of wide-framed gradient tinted pseudo-aviators that bad guys and other heavies on the Rockford Files and Kojack sported. Prescription sunglasses can protect your eyes and keep you stylish. If you’re thinking of buying prescription sunglasses this summer, whether for sport, driving, or just to wear lazing around, here’s some basic information that might help you determine what type of sunglasses are best suited for you.

Sunglass Lenses
The contemporary consumer is able to find prescription sunglasses in all lens materials – regular plastic (which are lightweight, but scratch easily), Trivex, high index, polycarbonate, and glass. Glass offers the best optical quality, but are not the best choice, as they can easily shatter. Prescription sunglasses with photochromic tints are a very popular choice, and may be sold under the name “transition lenses.” Photochromic lenses will automatically dark when you’re in sunlight, and return to an almost clear state when you’re in lower light, such as being indoors.

Prescription sunglasses with curves tend to distort vision, and that’s why I wouldn’t recommend them. There are some available, but discuss whether they’re right for you with your optician.

If you’re going to be wearing prescription sunglasses for driving, I’d recommend that you use polarized lenses. Polarized lenses eliminate the bounce-back glare of reflective surfaces, like chrome, water, and windshields. Polarized lenses are also amazing for cutting down water reflections, so if you’re into boating or fishing, you’ll appreciate that. Grey polarized lenses are the best over-all lenses, and brown polarized lenses are good for golfers because they provide more definition of greens, and will help looking down the fairway.

A good pair of prescription sunglasses will have anti-glare coating on the back side of the lenses, to eliminate reflections from behind being visible to the eye. The anti-glare coating will stop the strange effect of being able to see your eyes and eyelashes in the lens, which can be off-putting.

And for the safety of your eyes, make sure you get 100% UVA and UVB protection!

Frames
A popular option is to buy a sunglass frame that you particularly like (or alternately use a pair of sunglasses you really like) and have your Rx put in the frames. Most optometrists and eyewear stores offer this service, but there are also many online services that will put new lenses in old pairs, too.

Smaller sunglasses for smaller face, larger sunglasses for larger faces. Pretty simple rule.

Oval face
If you’re blessed with a balanced and oval face, go nuts. Pretty much anything will look good, but to really maximize your sunglasses and your face, try square framed, soft edged sunglasses.

Round face
Your sunglass frames should be as wide or just a bit wider than the broadest part of your face. To add definition, wear sunglasses with a rectangular frame and softer edges to add definition. Double brow bars will pull the eye up, adding length to your face, and sunglasses with wider frames will make your face appear thinner.

Square Face
Classic oval frames or rounded frames will work best, and if you need to add definition, try some cat-eye sunglasses. I generally tell people to avoid cat-eyes, at least exercise caution, but there are certain times where it works.

Triangle Face
Sunglasses with straight tops, such as aviators, will highlight your eye area and draw attention away from your sharp jaw line.