People have worn sun-blocking eyewear for about 2,000 years and it’s a fair bet that even in the earlies days, people broke more than a few pairs of sunglasses. In fact, every 14 minutes, an American loses, breaks or sits on a pair of sunglasses.
From wraparound sunglasses to polarized sunglasses, Ray-Bans to Oakleys to everything in between, there are plenty of sunglasses on the market. In fact, Just one luxury Goods Company produces 75 percent of the world’s designer sunglasses. Labels such as Chanel, Burberry, and Ralph Lauren are all designed and made by Italian company Luxottica and they also own the Oakley and Ray-Ban brands.
There may be plenty of sunglasses available, but that means there’s also plenty of potential to lose, break or sit on those glasses whether they’re cheap or top-end. If you’re in the market for a pair of unbreakable sunglasses, you might want to look into a pair with polycarbonate lenses.
Polycarbonate is a specific type of plastic that is used in industrial applications like CDs, DVDs and headlights. It is strong, which makes it a great material to use if you’re looking for unbreakable sunglasses. In addition, polycarbonate offers a lot of benefits including:
- UV Protection: As you probably know, prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun has negative effects, especially when it comes to your eyes. Thankfully, polycarbonate lenses block the sun’s rays and don’t require any additional coating to protect from the sun.
- Weight: Another one of the benefits of polycarbonate sunglasses is that they are thinner than most other types of lenses. This makes them a great choice for people who might wear glasses with a strong prescription. Since polycarbonate lenses are thinner, they’re also lightweight, which means they’re less likely to fall off when you’re wearing them. They’re comfortable to boot.
- Safety: Polycarbonate lenses have been described as virtually unbreakable by the Vision Council, so if you buy a pair of sunglasses with polycarbonate lenses, you’re in essence buying yourself a pair of unbreakable sunglasses. In fact, studies have shown that polycarbonate lenses are more impact-resistant than many types of plastic lenses and even glass. Testing has shown, using various projectiles, that polycarbonate lenses don’t even shatter at high impact.
If you are looking at getting a pair of “unbreakable sunglasses,” you obviously want them to last a long time, so your pair of glasses with polycarbonate lenses can benefit from two things. While polycarbonate is strong, it is a soft material, so your sunglasses may need a scratch resistant coating to protect against surface scratches. Getting this will give you scratch and shatter resistant sunglasses.
The other thing you’ll need is proper frames. Since polycarbonate lenses are designed for safety, if you’re using them while on the job or while doing something active, you’ll need frames specifically designed for safety.
These unbreakable sunglasses are ideal for anyone who’s always losing or breaking a pair of sunglasses. For children, polycarbonate lenses are ideal because they are durable. They are also ideal for athletes and those with active jobs such as construction workers. Ultimately, a visit to an eye doctor can help determine if polycarbonate lenses are the best way to go and are appropriate for your prescription.