Cheap versus Expensive Sunglasses: Which one works best

The price of one branded sunglasses may be equal to the price of ten or more cheapies. Some people even claim that you actually get the same UV protection for your eyes from branded and even cheap sunnies. Ultimately, losing $10 sunglasses won’t hurt but misplacing your RayBan is something that will surely stress you out. If this is the case, is it really okay to just forget about the brands and go for the cheap pair of sunglasses?

There had been a lot of argument on whether or not the quality of a product depends on the brand name stamped on its surface. It’s easy to claim that generic but high quality wholesale sunglasses can do as good as the designer brands. But if you’re going to think about it, whether or not you should spend your precious money on expensive things just depend on your needs, your purchasing power and your priority.

image credit: ehow.com

What makes sunglasses expensive?

Believe it or not, there is a lot of technology and science involved in making your sunglasses. When I go to eyewear stores, I can’t help but be bewildered by the way the sales person explains in detail what each pair of sunglasses can do for me depending on their features. 

It’s best to know about the differences of each kind of sunglasses to see which one will best suit your needs. These special features, such as polarization, scratch-resistant coating, and UVA or UVB coating, often cost you extra bucks. Other sunglasses even have a combination of different coatings for greater protection. Although each feature can do different jobs of protecting your eyes, you should still have to decide which one will suit your lifestyle. 

Other than the kind of lens, expensive sunglasses also meet the impact standards set by Food and Drug administration. It means that you can be assured that you won’t hurt your eyes in case your sunglasses get hit by a stone or a ball. They are also made from quality frames and hinges for maximum protection against shock in case it hit the ground.

It’s not about the price tag

Sunglasses, regardless of the price, should indicate the level of protection they provide against UV rays. There are some quality sunglasses that offer higher UV protection without being very pricy. This means that sunglasses don’t really have to be expensive to protect your eyes.

A cosmetic or fashion sunglasses offers 70% reduction of UV rays while a special purpose sunglasses can give as much as 99% protection. The best quality sunglasses even have a label that says “UV-400” or “UV absorption up to 400nm which means 100% UV protection. If your expensive sunglasses don’t give you this much protection, you won’t be getting the right value for your money.

In the end, it’s just a matter of how much you care for your eyes. If you love sports like swimming or skiing, investing on polarized sunglasses will give you the right eye protection. If you are living in tropical countries or a place where the sun is up most time of the year, investing on quality UV protection will do your eyes good.