UV protection has nothing to do with lens colour. It has everything to do with blasting radiation that can damage your eyes. Polarising lenses will reduce reflective glare from water and land surfaces, making them particularly good at improving vision in bright or hazy driving conditions. Shabiha Nur Khatoon samples the best bikers’ goggles in town
Sunglasses are a protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes. They can, sometimes, also function as a visual aid variously termed as spectacles or glasses featuring lenses that are coloured, polarised or darkened.
Motorcycle sunglasses offer both comfort and safety, but many riders wear glasses that match their riding attire better than their riding environment. This is not a surprise since it is almost impossible to find objective information about selecting motorcycle sunglasses. This guide is our attempt to find a remedy to that problem.
The most important qualities to look for in a pair of new cycling glasses are clarity of vision the lenses provide and the protection they afford. Hazards such as grit, insects and overhanging branches can seriously damage your eyes when you’re hurtling along at 25 mph or more and even rain can really sting your eyeballs.
Aside from protecting your eyes, you need your glasses to be comfortable and to stay in place. Versatility is important too, which is why some cycling glasses come in lenses of varied hues, while others allow you to specify prescription optics.
Let’s not forget aesthetics. After all we all like to look good, and it might even save you money if it means you don’t need another pair of glasses for non-riding days. Our hobbies or favourite sports provide us with some of the most enjoyable moments in our lives. Good, comfortable vision can help us get the most out of these special moments. Spectacle lenses and frames for sports and leisure activities can be precisely tailored to the needs of each individual wearer. Only one thing counts: optimum vision for maximum enjoyment.
Eighty per cent of the impressions we receive of our environment are obtained through our eyes, making them our most important sense organ. In sport, good vision is an absolute must. Poor vision not only means you risk mis-hitting the ball or misjudging the finish line. It can also lead to a feeling of insecurity and ultimately even to accidents. Sports eyewear must perform even better than everyday spectacles and resistance to breakage and glare protection are essential requirements.
And, of course, driving along in a convertible on a sunny day makes totally different demands on your spectacles than your workplace or everyday life. Your optician can help you configure the best spectacles for your leisure time. He or she can match your spectacles to your personal budget and vision needs.
Sunday POST talks to bikers in the city to know how.
“Being riders we not only promote safe riding but also dress up to look the best with our bikes. Wearing goggles makes the look complete and also prevents irritation in eyes from direct sunrays during rides. It also keeps our eyes safe from dust particles and insects which accidentally hit us while riding. My suggestion to all bikers would be having your goggles on with your helmets; it’s not only safe but is also stylish,” says Baibhav Agarwal.
As an avid motorcyclist, Subranshu Patnaik talks about a few points to be kept in mind while choosing sunglasses. “Expensive things are sometimes better, but not necessarily so. What really counts is the degree to which the lenses filter out harmful UV rays. Do not confuse the shade of the lenses with their ability to filter UV rays. Dark sunglasses may still allow UV rays to enter the eye. Sunglasses are marked with a filter category from 0-4, where 4 is the darkest lens. UV protection has nothing to do with lens colour. It has everything to do with blasting radiation that can damage your eyes. Polarising lenses will reduce reflective glare from water and land surfaces, making them particularly good at improving vision in bright or hazy driving conditions. High-contrast lenses work like a graphic equaliser on a stereo: they balance patches of light, helping the wearer see things more naturally. Wraparound styles further protect the eyes by helping to keep out peripheral glare.”
Kritish Nayak who is also a bike rider says that be it a long or short ride, riding at high speeds require glasses that prevent wind from swirling around behind the lens and drying out your eyes or blowing the glasses right off your face.
“If you are usually riding between stoplights, you will want eyewear that allows more air circulation to minimise fogging and perspiration around the eyes. Too much circulating air will dry out your eyes. Too little circulation will suffocate them. Either condition will reduce the amount of time you can ride comfortably. Many of the knock-off versions of these glasses do not effectively balance airflow requirements,” he adds.
Kritish proceeds to says that one should be extremely cautious about wearing eyewear not designed specifically for speed. Choose a frame that adequately wraps around the side of your eyes. Smaller frame swill directs the burble of air created by the lens right into your eye. While this might keep the bigger bugs from flying directly into your eye, it will provide little protection from wind and dust. The frame build should be able to withstand harsh impact. An unbreakable lens has little value if the frame it is in could disintegrate right in front of your eyes.
