Sun in my eyes while running; sunglasses not cutting it
I try not to look directly at the sun, but there have been lots of situations where the sun is in the direction where I need to look. For example while I'm running, the sun is setting ahead of me, and I need to keep my eyes on the road so I don't trip. Or, while playing tennis or volleyball, someone hits the ball between me and the sun.
Even if I wear sunglasses, it's not effective enough when the sun is almost directly in front of me.
Sometimes avoiding sports or workouts during sunset hours is not feasible (my busy schedule) or negotiable (event not planned by me).
I'm guessing my best bet is better sunglasses, but sunglasses don't seem to advertise their strength in terms of how much light they block.
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How about better sunglasses!
There seem to be two names for the relevant metric here (how much light is blocked out) and they are:
"Visible light transmission" (VLT) - the amount of visible light that passes through
"Tint density" - how much light is blocked - basically the opposite of VLT
From www.ameritasinsight.com/wellness/health-and-wellness/finding-the-perfect-sunglasses
Lens Tint Levels Eyeglass lenses vary in tint levels, depending on
the length of time they are immersed in a color solution:
20 percent tint density Designed for fashion only; provides minimal sun protection
50 percent density Common tint density that provides moderate or normal protection from the sun
80 percent tint density Considered the maximum level of sun protection
From www.hidalgos.com/selecting-sunglasses/
Lenses of 15% to 30% visible light transmission seem to reduce glare
sufficiently. ... A 15% transmission is dark, a
30% lens is lighter. Most high quality sunglasses with glass lenses
will usually have visible light transmission levels of 15% to 20%.
This site also advertises that they sell 2% VLT which they call "extremely dark".
Unfortunately, most of the sunglasses offered (including the most
expensive) do not publish their UV, IR or Visible light transmission
levels. The only guide we can offer for you to judge on your own is to
find a pair of Ray-Ban© sunglasses with the G-15 GreyGreen lenses and
look through them, they have had a VLT of 16% for over 40 years. The
Randolph Engineering Military Issue glasses with the Neutral Grey
lenses (Dark grey) also have a 16% VLT.
^ Same, Hidalgos. I agree this is unfortunate. On Amazon, you can ask the manufacturer under the "Customer questions & answers" section of any product listing. Ask about the tint density or visible light transmission of the lenses.
And did you know lenses can be made of either glass or plastic?
The color in glass lenses last forever and is very consistent between
batches. Plastic tinted lenses can vary between batches, color fades
as they age and sometimes need to be re-tinted at a later date.
But, I'm not sure if that's even true. And I've been reading elsewhere that plastic is better for blocking UV rays. I think they're trying to sell something there. So yalls best do your own research.
Polarized lenses will help too, as Micha? mentioned. They reduce glare and eye strain. Beware, they're not for skiing as you can't see ice and other dangers with polarized lenses.
To prevent sunlight coming in from the sides, look for "wraparound" glasses (which are thicker on the sides, and aren't too stylish IMO) or glasses that have a so-called "gasket" (padding inside the frame to fill in the gaps where the sun could sneak in).
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