Sunglasses

type of glasses

Sunglasses are dark tinted eyeglasses. They are often worn to protect the eyes from sunlight or as a fashion accessory. Some of the most popular brands include:

Sunglasses

Common frame styles include

  • Aviators - Frames with a double bar nose bridge and often teardrop shaped lenses.
  • Wayfarers - Thicker plastic frames with metal dots at the top corner of the glasses.
  • Wraparound glasses - Where the lenses are curved around the face, offering greater protection and a wider field of vision.
  • Clip-on sunglasses - Frames akin to Pince-nez made to clip onto the front of a pair of prescription eyeglasses.
  • Fit over glasses - Designed to be donned over prescription glasses.

Common lens tints include

  • grey - A neutral color
  • brown - A color that gives better contrast and a "warmer" hue
  • green - Ideal for golf and certain other sports
  • yellow - good for overcast conditions, computers or night driving.
  • Blue- In terms of fashion.

Tint intensities. The darkness of a lens tint is usually categorized in percentage or a category of four system.

  • Category one tints are the lightest and mainly for fashion usage. Category one tints are usually 10 or 20% tinted.
  • Category two tints are great for photosensitivity caused by indoor florescent lighting and correspond with 30% to 50% darkness
  • Category three tints are standard sunglass level 60% to 80% tint.
  • Category four tints are for the brightest of sunny days. These tints are usually 75% to 90%.
  • Gradient lenses have a darker tint at the top and goes lighter further down the lenses.

Other words for sunglasses include:

  • Sunnies - most common in British and Australian English
  • dark glasses
  • Smoked spectacles - Used especially for the nearly opaque glasses of the blind
  • Solar shields - Sunglasses with overly large lenses
  • Cooling glasses - In Indian English
  • Glares - In Indian English
  • Shades
  • Stunna shades - Sunglasses with large lenses. Used in hip-hop circles
  • Glecks - A term for both eyeglasses and sunglasses in Scottish English
  • Sun cheaters - In American English