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You may be recommending sunglasses in the exam lane, but are you taking the conversation to the next level? Your patients will be thankful when you provide some guidance as to what type of sunglasses they should purchase based on their lifestyle and activities. Here are some helpful tips for discussing prescription sunglasses with your patients:

Benefits of Mirrored Sunglasses

Mirrored lenses, or flash mirrored lenses, have a reflective optical process applied on the front of a sunglass lens (tinted or polarized). The mirrored process can be a different color from the tint of the lens underneath, which is typically grey or brown.

Your patients might love mirrored sunglasses because they are stylish, but there are numerous other benefits to wearing these reflective lenses:

• Non-glare properties: Because mirrored lenses are highly reflective, they provide more glare reduction versus a tinted sunglass lens.
• Better comfort: Since mirrored lenses direct reflected light away from the eyes, the wearer experiences more comfortable vision, especially when spending extended time outdoors.
• Durability: The treatment serves as an additional layer of protection. Modern mirrored processes are multi-layered, which improves scratch resistance.
• Enhanced visual acuity: Mirrored lenses direct reflected light away from the eye, allowing for clearer vision.
• Privacy: These types of lenses essentially act like a one-way mirror, disguising the wearer’s eyes.
• Sports activities: Mirrored lenses are a superior choice for water or snow activities due to their non-glare properties. When combined with polarized sunglass lenses, mirrors make watersports much more fun because they eliminate the glare from the top of the water allowing the wearer to see into the water.

Benefits of Various Sunglass Tints

For those patients who play sports or engage in outdoor activities, sunglasses can enhance performance and comfort. Here is an overview of which color lens tint to select:

• Grey is the universal, all-purpose tint. Grey lenses are suitable for both cloudy and sunny days. Grey tint offers the most natural color perception and often appears darker than other colored tints.
• Copper or brown tint enhances contrast and depth perception and works well under varied lighting conditions. These tints are an excellent choice for sailing, fishing, driving, hunting and golfing.
• Green tint provides superior contrast versus grey or brown lenses. They work well under all conditions. Green lenses are suitable for baseball, fishing, cycling and golf.
• Yellow lenses are perfect for low-light conditions, such as a foggy day. They also absorb blue light and reduce eye strain, making them a top choice for computer users and video gamers.  Additionally, yellow lenses are the right choice for folks shooting guns for sport.
• Blue is useful for reducing glare, especially under foggy or snowy conditions. The color feels soothing on the eyes and helps with color perception.
• Pink or red lenses help with contrast in both sunny and cloudy environments. They work well for snow sports, too.

Quality Lens Products and Fast Service

At R&D Optical Lab, an independent lab, we provide a large selection of sunglass options to your patients. Whether it’s mirrored lenses, performance tints or other customized eyewear, we can get them to your patients quickly. We send 90 percent of our orders out within 24 hours from receiving the frame, which is faster than what you are probably used to for mirrors.

Our speediness does not compromise our quality. We stand behind every pair we make and offer a 100 percent no-hassle warranty. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at 513-273-4034 or visit our website RandDOptical.com. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram or LinkedIn for our latest tips and updates!