The United States has the largest number of athletes in the Olympic Games this year, with over 220. That doesn’t include the many other countries that sometimes send hundreds of people to compete.
The 2022 Winter Olympics are great to showcase top-end glasses for sports and how eyewear makes a difference when athletes compete in blinding snowstorms or bright and sunny conditions.
Although most of us aren’t top-class athletes, keeping up with your active lifestyle requires precision eyewear. Luckily, we have put together a complete guide on everything you need to shop for with sports eyewear, so keep reading for more information!
Why You Need Glasses For Sports
Sports eyewear is important for helping protect your eyes and help your active lifestyle flourish. It can also boost performance, and many brands easily transition to urban wear. However, despite your everyday glasses, there are a few characteristics you should look for with sports glasses:
- Materials
- Fit
- Tint
Material types play a huge role in your activities since you’ll want something compatible with the sport you enjoy. For example, a long-distance runner will need different lenses and materials than an avid backcountry skier who deals with bright, glaring light all day long.
You want lenses that optimize colors, enhance depth perception, and provide visual clarity. Additionally, you need something that fits snuggly to your head, so that dirt, sweat, and water don’t easily affect your vision.
Vuarnet Sunglasses
Getting its start over 60 years ago, Vuarnet sunglasses quickly became a staple in the sports industry with ultimate precision, depth, and protection. The brand was soon born between French skier Jean Vuarnet, whom the name stems from, and Roger Poilleux. The first sunglasses were named Glacier and Vuarnat Ice, emphasizing the two business people’s love for skiing and sports sunglasses.
Since then, the brand has expanded and includes designer sunglasses for:
- Casual wear
- Hikers
- Skiers
- Other outdoor adventures
Otherwise known as ‘James Bond sunglasses,’ the Glacier easily transitions between the rugged outdoors and urban dwelling. Simply remove the protective side shields, and you’re ready to walk the city streets in style. If you want a unique look with rounded lenses, try the Vuarnat Ice designer eyeglasses or newer models such as:
- Edge
- Swing
- Tom
Edge, Swing, and Tom are three models that effortlessly combine sport and modern design for an elegantly rugged look. Additionally, this brand’s makeup won’t disappoint when it comes to performance. The tinted mineral lenses provide eye protection, glare reduction, improved contrast, and depth perception.
There’s no wonder Jean Vuarnat took gold in the 1960 Olympics.
Lindberg Glasses
When searching for designer glasses, you don’t have to branch out much more than Vuarnet and Lindberg. Lindberg’s designer eyeglasses is a Danish-based company that emphasizes minimalist, lightweight design. If you’ve ever tried your hand at a day-long backpacking trip with heavy, bulky sunglasses, you know that it is worth the upgrade to a lightweight model.
Lindberg doesn’t disappoint. Founded in the 1980s, Poul-Jorn Lindberg first designed the AIR Titanium frame, which was an immediate success. Despite boasting success over 30 years later, Lindberg still sources locally and crafts high-end materials such as:
- Titanium
- Gold
- Diamond
- Platinum
- Acetate
How Lindberg crafts their frames primarily sets it apart from other competitors. The company doesn’t use rivets, screws, or welds. The result?
Lindberg has some of the lightest, custom sunglasses with oval, round, square, or rectangular shapes. If you don’t want metal frames, you can choose their limited buffalo horn and mammoth tusk materials.
Don’t Forget The Lenses
Are you sick of wearing contacts, or do you like the looks of designer glasses? The lenses in your sports glasses can make it or break it for you in the outdoors, so you should prioritize these factors:
- Standard plastic lenses
- Progressive lenses
- Lens enhancement
Plastic lenses are lighter than glass, work with various frames, and are more impact-resistant than glass. Progressive lenses are great additions for distance sports. Whether you ski, hike, or climb, these can help you pick out even the slightest changes on the horizon.
Lastly, lens enhancement includes:
- Blue-light
- Polarized
- Tint
- Anti-glare
Opting for polarized and anti-glare lenses ensures you protect your eyes from snow, water, and sand. It also helps block harmful UVA and UVB rays.
Polarized lenses work by covering the lens in a protective chemical that helps filter light. While it may darken the outdoors slightly, it reflects or absorbs harmful rays, so they don’t reach your eyes.
People who fish and golf love polarized lenses because you can see greater distances without glare. Yet, they aren’t always ideal for casual wear since they can distort smartphone screens and watches.
Do Sunglasses Work for Men and Women?
Ultimately, the big question here is whether sunglasses for men differ drastically from sunglasses for women, and the answer is: sometimes. Certain brands offer unisex glasses that are specifically designed for a one-size-fits-all approach. The difference between men and women’s glasses are:
- Shape
- Size
- Color
The frame’s shape in men’s sunglasses is usually slightly larger than females’. To accommodate for larger facial features, the frame size will also be different, and some women might find men’s glasses too wide on their faces. Colors play a role in men’s and women’s designs, as females may find colorful frames more appealing than their counterparts.
Find, ‘Eyeglasses Near Me’
Have you searched ‘glasses Houston’ and come up with dozens of search results that haven’t led you to your main goal – glasses for sports? If so, Eye Elegance has you covered with a wide variety of designer eyeglasses.
You can find the perfect customized fit with prescription lenses added at an affordable cost through your favorite brands. We have an extensive selection of top-end sports eyewear that Olympians, professional athletes, and actors have used for decades.
Check out our website and start shopping now!