Sunglasses are the special type of glasses that protect human eye from ultraviolet radiation, and the usage of sunglasses has grown very popular among the people since the invention of sunglasses. The sunglasses’ design is the key to the growth of sunglasses’ popularity: it serves as a fashionable ornament and a practical protection to the human eyes at the same time.
Lenses
The lenses are usually classified as the most important parts of sunglasses. They have the most visible feature on sunglasses’ exterior existence and they play the biggest role on protecting the eyes as well. The lenses work as a barrier that weakens the power of sunlight, and it is all due to the special design of the lenses. The lenses of sunglasses are able to decrease the frequency of high frequency light such as the ultraviolet light, which can cause damage to cornea and retina of the human eyes. Therefore sunglasses lenses can function as eliminators of high frequency lights like the ultraviolet lights.
Apart from the practical usage of sunglasses lenses, their exterior existence creates a remarkable fashionable sense to sunglasses wearers. Different styles of lenses satisfy different preferences of people. Some people prefer small lenses, some prefer big lenses, and some prefer round lenses. Different types of lenses chosen by their wearers can also reflect wearers’ inner qualities.
Frame
Frame generally functions as a holding device of the lenses, and sunglasses frame also plays a big role on fashionable appearance. Apart from that the frame helps to stabilize the lenses. The frames usually play a bigger role on decorating the lenses. But for special types such as the rimless sunglasses do not necessarily need the frame. People have their own taste on those different types of sunglasses as well: some prefer rimless sunglasses, some do not.
Temple
Temple is the part that is attached at the frame (or directly from the lenses for rimless sunglasses) and goes over to the wearer’s ear that makes the sunglasses stable on the ears when wearing it. There are various temple designs that can anchor the sunglasses on their wearer but in different ways. One most popular temple design is making the end of the temple slightly bent; another temple design is making the temple hugs the head, like most Oakley designed sunglasses; and one design is making the end of the temple round-shaped so it would not fall off easily when the wearer’s head is facing downwards. Their functions are the same as to stabilize the sunglasses on the wearer, and only the different preferences of the wearers make a difference among the popularity of different temple designs.
Bridge
Bridge is the part that makes the sunglasses wearer comfortable: it connects the two lenses on its two sides and put the weight of the lenses onto the wearer’s nose. Because lenses have the biggest weight percentage of the net weight of 1 pair of sunglasses, the bridge has prevented the lenses from releasing pressure onto the wearer’s cheeks. The positioning of the bridge on the lenses depends on the size of the wearer’s nose. For example, the larger nose the wearer has, the lower the bridge has to be on the lenses.
Hinge
The hinge is located at the end of the temples and at the side of the lenses, and it functions as to make the temples movable. This is a very practical part in sunglasses since it is able to move the temples thus making the sunglasses portable. There will be a problem for wearers on where to keep it with them if hinge is not attached to the sunglasses, since most wearers only wear them in sunny occasions, but will take off their sunglasses in indoor facilities.