Any other questions?
Our optician team will be pleased to advise youTricky visibility while driving can be a big issue in summer, but also in spring and autumn when the sun sets early. Glare is a common problem, which can make driving on motorways, city streets and country roads a dangerous undertaking.
The right pair of sunglasses can help to minimise the risk of accidents. The most important factor here is protection against glare. While sunglasses will help you see clearly at any time of year, driving is a different matter to taking a Sunday stroll, so the model needs to tick certain boxes.
Not all lens colours are suitable for driving, as they can affect the way you perceive colours in your surroundings. You can forget grey, brown or green tints. We’d also advise you against red, orange or blue lenses, as they can lead to incorrect perception of traffic lights, brake lights and traffic signs.
Warning: So-called self-tinting or photochromic lenses don’t always provide the necessary amount of glare protection on roads. Because the front windscreen of the car already absorbs a large proportion of UV-radiation, the lenses may not darken, or do so only very slowly. However, some manufacturers now offer photochromic lenses specifically for driving. If you’re interested, have a word with your optician.
Another point to consider is filter categories. During the day, categories 0 to 3 are a safe bet. Even if the sun slips behind clouds or you’re suddenly driving through a very shaded area, with these filter categories you’ll still have a good view of things. Category 1 is fine is you’re driving at night, as long as the lenses don’t filter more than 25% of sunlight. Category 4 lenses shouldn’t be worn during the day or at night.
Tip: Under clear blue skies, the best sunglasses for driving are those with category 3 lenses.
The frame and particularly the temples of the glasses that you wear behind the wheel shouldn’t be too wide. Excessively wide temples could limit your view when looking in the side mirrors or over your shoulder. Likewise, thick frames should be avoided so as not to interfere with your peripheral vision.
If you already own a pair of sunglasses, you can wear them for driving as long as they fulfil the above criteria concerning colour, lens tint and frame. But if you fancy buying yourself a new pair and want to use them while driving, it’s worth thinking about the following lens finishes:
Tip: So-called clip-ins for prescription glasses are not very suitable for driving, as the light can bounce off the space between the outer and inner lenses and cause bothersome reflections. Contrast is reduced and driving becomes more dangerous. So it’s worth investing in a decent pair of sunglasses.
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> Sports glasses - the right sunglasses for different sports0800 472 54 57
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* Sum of regular shop price for the frame and the recommended retail price (RRP) for two anti-reflective, scratch-resistant single vision plastic lenses (refraction index 1.5) no greater than sph. +6.0/-6.0 D; cyl. +2.0/-2.0 D.
** All frames include two anti-reflective, scratch-resistant single vision plastic lenses (refraction index 1.5) no greater than sph. +6.0/-6.0 D; cyl. +2.0/-2.0 D.
The crossed out prices without RRP are the standard prices at Mister Spex.