Sunglass Readers

If you want to enjoy a book or magazine on a park beach or your back deck, look into a pair of sunglass readers to make the experience more enjoyable than it would be if you only wore clear reading glasses.

• Size: Bigger is usually better here because you'll want the maximum amount of sun protection for your eyes and the least amount of glare from the page. If you go with a smaller pair, sunlight may still bounce back from the pages and around the edges of your frame. The smaller your face, of course, the smaller the lenses can be.
• Shape: Wrap styles are best because they hug your face tightly and therefore block out more sunlight. This is good for two reasons. First, they protect your eyes from glare and make your time spent reading more pleasant overall. Second, they provide more efficient UV protection because fewer rays are able to make it around the frames and into your eyes from the sides. Your pupils will be dilated behind the tinted plastic, so they have the potential to allow in more sunlight if given the chance, doing more danger to your eyes. Excessive exposure to UV light can cause eye diseases.
• UV protection: Make sure you get 100 percent UVA and UVB protection. Dark lenses don't do all the work. They might just make seeing the page easier at the time. You need built-in UV protection as well. Look for a sticker on the sunglass readers that tells you that they have sun protection. You may see it listed as 100 percent UVA/UVB protection or you'll see UV400. If you're ordering online, check the information in the listing. If you're still unsure, email their customer service or move on to the next site.
• Personal statement: Sunglasses—-readers or not-—are great for making a personal statement. Feeling chic? Wear a pair of sunglass readers that look like they came straight from Chanel. Feeling a little funky? Opt for bright colors and fun shapes. The great thing about readers is they often don't have to be a custom prescription, so they're not terribly expensive and you can afford to have a few pairs for the multiple facets in your personality.
• Over-the-counter or custom-made prescription: Most people choose to go with over-the-counter readers instead of having prescription sunglasses made with their own prescription (some, however, do substitute bifocal sunglasses for sunglass readers, and those do have a customer-specific prescription). To shop for your sunglass readers (assuming you're shopping in person and don't know your prescription), you can take a newspaper or book with you into the store or grab one while you're there. Simply try on a few prescriptions to see which one allows you to best see the pages when you hold the book or newspaper at roughly waist level.

If you can't find sunglass readers in stores, there are a few spots you can try online. First you'll need to know the prescription you require, but you can easily find that out by testing the regular readers in the drugstore or grocery store. Sunglass readers are less common than traditional reading glasses. Once you know the prescription that fits your eyes best, you can take that information online: At Boomers in the Know, you can find stylish sunglass readers, like the Tiffani style featuring rhinestones. You'll look sophisticated and fashionable reading a magazine by the pool while wearing these. They're available in several colors and cost $16.99.

Visacuity is another site that offers sunglass readers, and they have styles from glam to hippie. There are also more classic styles like tortoise and wire. Prices vary here.

Deb Specs is one more place to check for your sunglass reader wardrobe. If you live in the United States, you can get the Clic style which hang around your neck and then connect via magnet at the bridge. They also have hand painted styles, so if you want some color in your wardrobe, this could be it.

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