Visage
Eyewear
810
NW 12th Ave., 944-5475
Belle Muse
Local
designer Kelli Vergotis, Visage Eyewear and Zelda's Shoe
Bar team up with Utopia Salon for this fashion show and
style event, which also promises music, works of jewelry
and art, hors d'oeuvres and martinis.
Utopia Salon,
1105 NW Johnson St., 222-3170. 7 pm Thursday, July 6.
Wouldn't you know it, that damaged ozone layer just seems
to keep shrinking, allowing more and more of the sun's ultraviolet
rays to reach the earth--and our fragile eyes. All the more
reason to find a cool pair of shades to protect your peepers
from dangerous rays, especially during boating and barbecue
season. Solar radiation is a leading environmental cause
of nasty cataracts, you know. But how does one determine
whether or not cheapo truck-stop shades offer substantial
protection? Are expensive specs inherently better? And what
the hell are polarized lenses--a special variety flown in
from Antarctica?
To find answers to some of these nagging questions, and
to simplify your search for the perfect sunglasses, I spoke
with Craig Valline, optician and owner of the super cool
Pearl District eyewear boutique Visage.
Most pairs of shades--whether they're $15 or $150--have
full-range ultraviolet (UV) radiation protection these days.
That's simply because both kinds of detrimental UV rays--UVA
and UVB--can be blocked entirely with one coating; there's
no motivation to coat glasses with a solution that would
only block one type of ray. You can be pretty sure that
when you see a sticker or a tag that reads "100% UV protection,"
you're getting full-spectrum defense (especially if you're
in a respectable shop as opposed to the corner mini-mart).
If the tag doesn't specify the percentage of protection,
you may be dealing with shady shades. Valline notes that
some mass-produced sunglasses end up with about 95 percent
UV protection--normally noted on a tag or sticker--which
is also sufficient. Still feeling wary of specs that promise
protection? Take them to an optical shop that has a meter
to test a lens's UV protection level.
So what about the new watered-down Kool Aid-colored lenses?
They're called cafe- or lounge-tinted, usually lighter than
sunglasses and primarily used as prescription shades. But
that doesn't mean they offer less protection. Even clear
lenses can be coated with a colorless layer of UV protection,
Valline says. The darkness of the lens isn't directly related
to radiation protection, as UV rays aren't the bright rays
from which dark shades shield us. Clear prescription lenses
sometimes have built-in UV protection, so ask questions
when optical-shop staff encourage you to pay extra for an
additional coating: You may be getting jacked. Valline showed
me some bad-ass cafe-tint specs by Eyephorics with lenses
that change color in the sun (called Splitz lenses) to offer
more shade. A light blue lens turns greenish gray in seconds;
pale yellow turns orange.
If the sun's glare is bringing you down, polarized lenses
can help, particularly when glare reflects off surfaces
like car windows or water. These lenses are analogous to
Venetian blinds, Valline explains, because they only let
light in from one angle, minimizing glare that makes us
squint and contributes to eye fatigue, strain and wrinkles.
(They aren't recommended for skiing, however, because they
hinder the ability to spot and avoid ice patches on the
hill.) Polarized lenses are available as clip-ons, too,
and offer UV protection as well. Glare can also be minimized
by treating the inside of lenses with the same anti-reflective
coating traditionally used on the outer side.
As for frame shape, the closer shades fit, the less light
enters the eye area. Wrap-around glasses are likely to keep
out more light than tiny frames or loose-fitting, oversized
ones that are open on the sides. But, Valline notes, UV
rays that enter the eyes directly from the front--as opposed
to peripheral exposure--cause the most radiation damage,
so comfort beats wrap-around protection when it comes to
frames.
Whether you opt for mass-market, chintzy '70s shades or
the sleek designer creations elegantly displayed at Visage,
don't forget to clean those lenses. Bypass the smelly spray
cleaners (which involve spraying a film over the dirt already
on the surface, instead of actually cleaning them) in favor
of plain old water and a bit of dishwashing soap, and wipe
them with a cotton or microfiber shammy. All the better
for scoping out the scene at the beach--or keeping your
cool while beating the heat.
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