By: Bernard Selkirk on Wed May 21, 2008

Today’s prescription sunglasses are better than the sort of wide-framed gradient tinted pseudo-aviators that bad guys and other heavies on CHiPs and Dragnet wore. Prescription sunglasses nowadays can look stylish and offer you protection from the sun's harmful UV rays. If you are thinking of purchasing prescription sunglasses, whether for sports or driving or every day use, here is some basic information that will help you determine what type of sunglasses are best suited for you, and will ensure you get the best prescription sunglasses at the best price.

Sunglass Lenses
The contemporary consumer can buy prescription sunglasses in a wide range of lens materials – regular plastic (which are light, but do scratch easily), Trivex, high index, polycarbonate, and glass. Glass offers premier optical quality, but glass lenses aren't always the best choice, as they can easily shatter. Prescription sunglasses with photo-chromic tints are a very hip choice today, and may be sold under the name “transition lenses.” Photochromic lenses are lenses for prescription sunglasses that automatically go dark when the wearer is in sunlight, and return to an almost clear state when you’re in lower light, such as being indoors.

If you’re going to be wearing prescription sunglasses for driving, I’d recommend that you use polarized lenses. Polarized lenses eliminate bounce-back glare that's inherent in reflective surfaces, like chrome, water, and windshields. Polarized lenses are also great at cutting down water reflection, so if you’re a boater or fishermen, 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.

Prescription sunglasses with curves distort vision, which is why I wouldn’t recommend them. There are many available, but you should always discuss whether they’re right for you with your optician.

A prime 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.

For your eyes' safety, get 100% UVA and UVB protection!

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

The simple rule most people follow is that if you have a smaller face, you should wear sunglasses, and if you have a larger face, you should wear larger sunglasses, but there are shades of grey within that, depending on the shape of your face.

Oval face
If you’re blessed with a balanced and oval face, I'm envious. Most prescription sunglasses will look good on you, but to really maximize your sunglasses and your face, try square framed, soft edged sunglasses.

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

Square Face
For a square face, classic oval frames or rounded frames will work the best, and if you need to add definition, try cat-eye sunglasses. I generally tell people to avoid cat-eye sunglasses, or at the least to be wary, but there are certain times and certain faces where they work.

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

Hope that helps you out, and you have the coolest summer yet!