Specialty Eyewear:
Glasses for All Seasons, for All Reasons

Just as "one-size-fits-all" doesn't always fit, neither does one pair of eyeglasses for all situations. That's where specialty eyewear comes into the picture. Falling into this category are computer glasses, driving glasses, protective eyewear and more.

According to a Vision Council of America (VCA) survey, the most important reasons for purchasing specialty types of eyewear include:

• For a specific activity such as computer use, work, hobbies, sports or driving.
• The need to see better in general.
• Safety features that create an increased enjoyment of sports as well as protection from dust and glare.
• The wearer likes to be different and purchases them for cosmetic reasons.

Can you benefit from specialty eyewear? The descriptions below should help you to decide.

As people are spending more time in front of a computer, they are finding that their eyes are focused at a very specific range for long periods of time. Eyestrain and even muscle strains, due to adjusting your body to see better, can be avoided with the correct pair of glasses. Computer lenses are designed specifically for the distances associated with computer use: the intermediate and close-up zones. Computer-specific eyewear will give you the best correction for these distances, helping to avoid eyestrain.

Some people find that their regular glasses are great for most of their day, but are not quite right for their job. For example, if you wear bifocals, you may find that you need to tip your head back all day long to use the reading portions in the bottom of the lenses, because what you're reading is not in your lap. Instead of suffering neck discomfort to do this, you can get special glasses for work that have the reading segments placed higher up in the lenses. Read more about how special bifocals can help you with your job or hobbies such as golf.

For those whose hobbies include close-up work such as beading, needlepoint, crafting or anything requiring long periods of time working at very close distances, a separate pair of reading glasses may be helpful. If both your eyes need the same correction, then you can purchase a couple inexpensive pairs of readers almost anywhere: drugstores, bookstores, even craft stores. But if your eyes have different correction needs, which is very common, then you will want to order a custom pair of readers from your eyecare practitioner that is designed to meet the visual needs of each eye.

Safety glasses are a must for those who spend a lot of time working with power tools, as debris can fly into the eye and damage it.

By changing the tint of a lens you can improve visual acuity on the tennis court, golf course or on the slopes. Sport-specific eyewear can enhance performance by improving visual clarity while protecting the eyes from injury. Within this category you'll find both sunwear and eyewear with lenses made from impact-resistant polycarbonate.

Read more about tints and other features that enhance performance and protective eyewear for sports.

Driving glasses come in two different categories: sunglasses designed specifically for driving and prescription eyeglasses. In the sunglasses category, driving glasses will feature polarized lenses that reduce glare and make it easier to see. Studies have shown that glare can be a causative factor in automobile accidents, with drivers declaring that they couldn't see the other car or a pedestrian because of the glare coming off of the road, or the sun shining in their eyes. Polarized lenses reduce glare and make it easier to see in any situation where there may be glare. Sunglasses tinted specifically for driving increase contrast and make it easier to see.

Prescription eyewear for driving will include your distance prescription and should have an anti-reflective coating. This special coating on your lenses will reduce the glare and starburst effect surrounding lights at night, making it easier to see. An anti-reflective coating has the added benefit of reducing reflections on the surface of the lens making your lenses virtually invisible, so people can see you better as well.
 

Many people buy specialty eyewear for increased eye safety. This eyewear can be in the form of safety glasses, sports goggles or shooting glasses. Safety eyewear is made of ultra-durable materials and provides more coverage than regular glasses, such as in the form of a wraparound design or top and side panels. You can also get other features like anti-fog styling or spring hinges.

Maybe you want more than one pair of eyeglasses simply to match different outfits or moods. Part of the fun of this approach is trying on all different styles in the store, but you can narrow down your search by looking over our articles on matching eyeglasses to your personality and lifestyle and matching them to your face shape and coloring.

Your eyecare practitioner can help you choose the right lens and frame combinations for your special needs and activities.