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Hot Style Tips For Winter Sunglasses

Wearing sunglasses in the winter not only looks cool, but is also essential to protect your eyes. The sun sits lower in the sky in the winter months, and can actually give you more exposure for a longer period of time.
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Aspen, Colorado, USA
Jason Dewey via Getty Images
Aspen, Colorado, USA

Wearing sunglasses in the winter not only looks cool, but is also essential to protect your eyes.

The sun sits lower in the sky in the winter months, and can actually give you more exposure for a longer period of time. To add to this, if you are near snow 85 per cent of the sun's UV rays are reflected upward, making it more difficult to either see the road or the slopes.

To find out more about how to choose the best sunglasses for winter, I spoke with spokesperson, Mikaël Lavoie-Gauthier, eyewear and goggle product manager at Oakley Canada. Mikaël shared everything you need to know to find the perfect sunglasses to protect your eyes this winter and look great.

What are the top trends for sunglasses this season?

  • Men Men are looking for simplicity, timeless design with a fresh spin and integrated technologies. A lifestyle look, with the benefits of a performance eyewear.
  • Women Trends have moved away from the bigger, the better. Canadian women are now looking for practicality and uniqueness. Eyewear that will perfectly fit their face and their active lifestyle. A classic frame shape like the aviator is on-trend now. Beyond the frame shapes, ultra-feminine eyewear also offers a great level of detail with warm colours and acetate print on the temples.

Why is it important to wear sunglasses in the winter?

UV rays and glare!

It is always important to take care of your eyes and vision, this can often fall off the radar in the winter months. Some things to keep in mind:

  • White noise -- a constant sea of white that surrounds us in the winter due to the snow is harmful on our eyes, even more so than summer rays because of the constant glare.
  • The sun's rays are just as strong in fall and winter as they are in summer, regardless of the heat.
  • It's important to protect our eyes from harmful UV rays all year round, so wearing sunglasses with quality lenses will help eliminate glare.

A headache from glare can ruin your day. Driving in glare can be risky, and road cyclists know how glare can hide potholes and other dangers. Any skier or snowboarder can tell you how glare distracts, diminishes mental focus and drains energy with tension.

How to choose the right sunglasses when you are shopping online?

Use the tools that are offered on websites to filter your search and look for quality.

Polarized lenses filter out most glare, but not all polarized lenses are made equally. The best polarized lens is just that -- one lens. Glues and films used in some Polarized lenses can distort your vision. Be careful, any glue-bonded material layer in a sunglasses can diminish clarity and exaggerate distortion.

You want to look for eyewear that will optimize your vision and is designed specifically for your needs and the environment you are in.

Here are examples of a few tools that can help you find the perfect eyewear:

  • Look for your face shape on websites and there should be suitable sunglasses to match your face shape.
  • Recommended use -- select the sunglasses that will specifically meet your needs
  • Use gift guides to see what's popular and what will suit your needs
  • Be inspired and try something new!

What is the difference between a lower priced pair of sunglasses and a more expensive pair?

Optical quality of the lens. Look for lenses that are optically corrected through a series of tests and ensure optical clarity -- no deviation and no impurity.

Looking forward to spring, what will be the trends?

Unisex eyewear will definitely be a must in the spring, with classic keyhole bridges, curved rounded lens orbitals and interior kick-up features that let you clip the it to your shirt.

How should you care for your sunglasses?

Caring for your glasses can be quite simple. It is suggested to keep the frames in the case when they are not being worn and use a micro-fibre cloth to clean the frames often (hand wash and air-dry the micro-fibre cloth regularly).

Any other tips?

Most people wear the same prescription glasses every day and gravitate to the same style, time and time again. Dedicate time to researching the latest trends, and don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone.

I will be thinking about all of these great sunglasses tips this winter!

Your suggestions are always welcome, as I continue on my journey to live life to the fullest. Let's have the very best winter ever!

Visit Sacha daily at SachaD.com

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