Sunglasses are mostly associated with summer and the bright sunlight that everyone looks forward to every year. However, there is a lot of merit to using sunglasses in the winter as well. Think about it, the white snow bounces a lot of light, and this makes the days even brighter than the brightest summer day, even if it is all of 10 degrees outside. This bright light can cause a lot of damage to your eyes, your face and your mood. You can develop headaches and wrinkles, not to mention temporary blindness due to the bright snows.
I know it is a little early to be thinking about winter, but it is September, and where I come from, it can be snowing this time of year. Plus, getting sunglasses now is cheaper and easier than finding sunglasses in a couple months. Most stores quit selling sunglasses once the summer season is over and purchasing sunglasses during the winter months can be very expensive. Buying sunglasses in the fall allows you to purchase season ending sunglasses at great discounts while still giving you a wide selection of sunglasses.
- Choose a pair of sunglasses that work well with your facial shape. If you have an oval face, you can get away with almost any shape of glasses. If you have a round face, consider the more square shades. If you have a diamond shaped head, look for oval sunglasses. If you have a square face, try wearing cat eye shaped sunglasses. If you have the triangular shaped head, try a pair of sunglasses with a straight top line.
- Watch that the sunglasses do not wash you out. If you are very pale in complexion, consider using a pastel or colored rim on your sunglasses as this will limit the sharp contrasts between skin tone and sunglasses. If you have a more tan appearance, then feel free to go with a metallic color rim. If you have very dark skin, amber and metallic colors often look the best, although black may or may not suit you.
- Make sure the glasses are UV resistant. This will help to spare your eyes from the excessive damage that UV rays can do to them. Remember, you are not only getting the UV rays from the sun, you are also getting them from the snow and ice as the light bounces off the substances.
- Try to get a pair of sunglasses that cover your eyes completely. This will help to further protect your eyes and it will further reduce glare. The reduction in glare will help you to keep your eyes open and reduce the potential for squinting. The sunglasses that completely cover your eyes will also help to protect your eyes from UV radiation as well.
- Purchase a sunglass case and wipes. Since you will be using these sunglasses for walking and driving around, it is a good idea to keep the glasses scratch free. A single scratch on the glasses can cause serious headaches as your eyes want to focus on that scratch rather than the road or where you are walking. Simply by placing the glasses in a case when they are not being used and by wiping them down with a sunglass wipe, you can prevent these scratches.
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