Once you get your vision corrected with new eyeglasses, you wonder how you ever lived without them. The right eyewear can be life-changing and help keep your eyes safe. Prescription lenses aren’t cheap, and if you’re just taking the plunge into all things vision correction, you might be wondering how much a pair of prescription sunglasses will set you back.
We’ll let you know how much to budget and also give you some options to help you get more UV protection bang for your eyewear buck. First, let’s talk about what you need in a pair of good sunglasses.
What Should You Know About Sunglasses?
Most people have two qualifications when they shop for sunglasses: style and shade. Obviously, the primary job of your sunglasses is to keep you more comfortable when you’re in the sun. A close second to that comfort level is how sunglasses make you look.
If you hate your eyewear, you won’t wear it, which is why style is actually really important — if not most important since the shade portion is pretty table-stakes, and comfort is key as well. Stylish sunglasses might even be more important than your regular eyewear, because they have the added job of ensuring your eye health is top priority.
The Lowdown on UV Rays
You already know that UV rays are damaging to your skin, but they’re also really damaging to your eyes. UV light can pass through the cornea and reach the retina, where your vision happens. This can damage retinal cells and lead to early-onset macular degeneration. It can also lead to cataracts, a condition in which the lens of the eye becomes cloudy.
That’s not all. Even before those conditions arise, unprotected exposure to UV rays can lead to serious eye irritation that can become debilitating. Surfer’s eye, for instance, is a condition in which growth extends from the sclera to the pupil after sun exposure.
Additionally, you can develop a fatty deposit in the sclera called a pinguecula. These are permanent growths in the eye that can only be removed with surgery.
Shade Does Not Equal Protection
Owning a heavily tinted pair of glasses doesn’t mean your eyes are safe from the sun. In fact, the level of shade on your glasses doesn’t have anything to do with the UV protection. Lens material can be crystal clear and provide full UV coverage or uber dark and provide little to no protection.
To know for sure the level of coverage you’re getting, you’ll need to look at the eyewear itself or check with the manufacturer.
How To Budget for Prescription Sunglasses
Most people are in for a shock the first time they purchase prescription eyewear. If you have great vision coverage as part of your insurance plan, you may be able to get a single pair of glasses each year, however, there are usually limits on how much you can spend on each pair. That means if you want Gucci Rx sunglasses, you might have to pay for them yourself or set up an HSA at the beginning of the year to pay for them.
The average cost of prescription sunglasses varies, with budget options costing as little as $50 and designer brands draining your budget at $500 and up. Why the steep variation? There are several factors.
Brand
Different brands cost different prices. If you’re looking for the most budget-friendly pair of prescription sunglasses you can find, you’ll want to shop among store brands or discount brands. These brands will be affordable and will probably last a few months to a year, depending on how you care for them. If you only need prescription shades for your work commute, for instance, a budget pair might be a solid option.
If you need eyewear that will last a little longer, you’ll probably want to invest in a reputable eyewear brand, but keep in mind that quality sunglasses don’t have to be designer sunglasses.
Material
There is no shortage of options for sunglass frames and lens materials. In terms of frames, you’ll pay more for metal. You’ll also pay more for glass lens material. Plastic may sound cheap, but new plastics provide crystal clear vision and long-lasting durability. Polycarbonate, for instance, is incredibly durable and a popular option for both prescription glasses and sunglasses.
Single Vision vs. Multivision Lenses
Most people end up needing multi-vision lenses at some point in their lives. Single-vision lenses are generally less expensive because the lens is only created in one strength to correct one refractive error.
Multivision lenses, also referred to as progressive lenses, correct numerous refractive errors and have different strengths in the lens. Because of this, the cost of your prescription sunglass lenses will be higher.
Coatings
Specialized coatings can also pack on added costs to your prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses. Coatings are important because they offer benefits that can make your sunglass-wearing experience more comfortable and more protective. Some of the most popular options are:
- Polarization. This type of lens coating cuts down on glare and is helpful when working or playing on reflective surfaces like water, sand, or snow.
- Scratch-resistant lens coatings
- Anti-reflective coatings (AR)
- Anti-fog coatings. These coatings help prevent your eyewear from fogging when you transition between hot and cold environments.
- Tint. From smoke gray to the darkest black and virtually every color in between, you can find eyewear that is tinted to fit your own personal style.
All of these features add to the cost of buying prescription sunglasses. The costs can add up quickly, especially if you’re shopping from the retail options available in your eye doctor’s office.
An affordable solution? Stoggles, of course.
Stoggles Prescription Sunglasses
Stoggles are more than just stylish safety eyewear. Stoggles gives you the options you want at a price that won’t break the bank. We offer two different types of Stoggles sunwear: Dimmers and Sun Polarized.
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Stoggles Dimmers
Light-responsive lenses are popular because they allow the wearer to easily move from indoors to out without swapping back and forth between prescription eyeglasses and prescription sunglasses. These light-responsive lens options naturally darken when they come in contact with UV light, and return to clear when they are no longer exposed to it.
Stoggles Dimmers offers the same UV-response lenses you love, with all the standard features you’ve come to expect from our eyewear. You’ll get the same comfort, style, and safety features as standard Stoggles, but with the added benefit of light-responsive lenses that darken to keep you comfortable around UV light.
Sun Polarized
Stoggles Sun Polarized lenses are the perfect option for people who prefer dedicated, tinted lenses. Our Sun Polarized lenses have the perfect amount of tint and are also polarized to reduce glare and make it easier for you to see when working on reflective surfaces.
Both our Dimmers and Sun Polarized options are available with your corrective vision prescription. Just upload your script to our website, and we'll take care of the rest. They also both come with our proprietary anti-fog coating, which is included in the price.
Of course, you’ll still get all the safety features of regular Stoggles and all the high-quality style you want.
Stoggles: The Difference Is Visible
You could spend your entire vision insurance budget on a pair of designer frames, or you could get frames that look designer and protect better than most designer brands would, for a fraction of the cost.
Stoggles all come standard with safety features you won’t find in most brands, like:
- ANSI Z87.1-2020 certification. This certification ensures your eyewear is protected from strikes and scrapes and won’t shatter if they are struck.
- Fog resistant lenses. Foggy eyewear isn’t safe, and it’s also inconvenient. Our lenses are coated with a fog-resistant compound at the time of manufacture.
- Blue light-blocking lenses. Every pair of Stoggles we create has blue light-blocking compound injected directly into the raw material of the lens to keep your eyes safe from intrusive light that is emitted from the sun and from electronic devices like your smartphone, tablet, computer, and LED television.
- Side and top shields. Regular prescription sunglasses leave gaps at the eyebrows and across the temples. Stoggles protect this area with top and side shields to keep your eyes safe.
- UV protection. All Stoggles are crafted from polycarbonate material, which is naturally UV-blocking. Whether you select standard Stoggles, Dimmers®, or Sun Polarized, you’ll get solid UV protection.
We compound our safety with style. You’ll find classic frame shapes like round, square, and rectangle, along with unexpected styles like aviator and cat-eye. We offer our Stoggles in a variety of colors so you’ve got plenty of options for making your Stoggles completely “you.”
Drop the Price, Add the Safety
Prescription sunglasses can be pricey, but you don’t have to pay a lot of cash to get great eyewear that protects you from the sun and about a million other eye-related hazards. Stoggles is the more affordable solution for prescription eyewear that also keeps you safe and stylish.
Sources:
Protecting your eyes from the sun’s UV light | National Eye Institute
Pros and Cons of Progressive Lenses | American Academy of Ophthalmology