Lens Tints

What tints and coatings are available for sport?

• Sunglasses are extremely important in sports as they reduce glare and protect against harmful UV radiation.
• There is no hard and fast rule as to colour of tint to use for a given sport.
• Research among elite athletes found that preference was specific to individuals and their sports.
• It is important to be mindful of the potential to reduce visual performance when choosing tints.
• The use of polycarbonate lenses for ocular protection is well documented and these are clearly the lenses of choice for sports eye protection.
• Polycarbonate has high impact resistance, and is one of the lightest lens materials available.
• Polycarbonate lenses come in a wide range of types, including polarising, progressive power and phtochromic lenses.
• The starting point when dispensing tints and coatings is a careful visual task analysis to determine
  
  • the ambient light levels and consditions (artificial or natural);
  • factors such as the colour of the target and background;
  • the contrast of the target against the background.
• Visual skills specific to the sport need to be taken into account.