Sunglasses

[ghostgirl]

Do you invest in a really good pair of sunnies in Oz? I have just had transition lenses put in my glasses, but for normal sunglasses I usually just get them from Topshop or somewhere, but with the strength of the sun out there I'm thinking I might need to spend a bit more money? What do you think? Thank you xxh

[boganbear]

Buy some nice sunnies as you will need them. They cost a fortune here but the transition ones should be OK

[ghostgirl]

I like my Topshop ones a lot, at £16 they are grand for the English sun but I was thinking they wouldn't be enough for Sydney? Or am I just trying to justify buying some really expensive ones? haha

[Guest Ptp113]

Quality sunnies are a must as cheap rubbish doesn't do the job. Polarised for beach or water areas of course. Driving glasses also a good idea.

[ghostgirl]

Quality sunnies are a must as cheap rubbish doesn't do the job. Polarised for beach or water areas of course. Driving glasses also a good idea.

 

Can you recommend any brands?? My normal glasses are Raybans but that's just the frame, I'm trusting the very expensive transition lenses will do their job!

[northshorepom]

They're one of those things I tend to lose a lot of (like pens) so I buy half-decent ones ($50) rather than expensive designer items

 

Tons available over here, don't seem that expensive to me? I wouldn't be buying any in the UK especially that's for sure. You might want to have a poke about the duty free when you fly out but there's rarely much (any?) saving to be had

 

Can't go wrong with Raybans I don't think. Optically as good as any

 

EDIT: Have transition lenses really improved? I had some about 15 years ago and was unimpressed. Never got properly dark, struggled to get properly clear. Not bothered since

 

EDIT 2: I used to wear glasses but don't bother now. I'm only about -0.75/-1, when I came out here in summer the increased light levels were enough that I didn't need to bother with optical correction and just wore sunnies. Never got back in the habit and my eyes have got less lazy and strengthened I think. Even driving at night I don't need them now

 

EDIT 3: Also agree about polarised being a great boon here. There is a lot of glare

[Peach]

They're one of those things I tend to lose a lot of (like pens) so I buy half-decent ones ($50) rather than expensive designer items

 

Tons available over here, don't seem that expensive to me? I wouldn't be buying any in the UK especially that's for sure. You might want to have a poke about the duty free when you fly out but there's rarely much (any?) saving to be had

 

Agree 100%, you get used to never going outside without your sunnies and after a while they do fall apart. There are plenty of shops selling them in Sydney.

[pablo]

I wouldnt be buying "designer" sunglasses meself tbh,as long as they've still got the same uv protection as the designer ones,"and" they look decent i'd buy any old sunglasses,spending loads of $ on them is just designer snobbery for mugs,imo anyway

[ghostgirl]

They're one of those things I tend to lose a lot of (like pens) so I buy half-decent ones ($50) rather than expensive designer items

 

Tons available over here, don't seem that expensive to me? I wouldn't be buying any in the UK especially that's for sure. You might want to have a poke about the duty free when you fly out but there's rarely much (any?) saving to be had

 

Can't go wrong with Raybans I don't think. Optically as good as any

 

EDIT: Have transition lenses really improved? I had some about 15 years ago and was unimpressed. Never got properly dark, struggled to get properly clear. Not bothered since

 

EDIT 2: I used to wear glasses but don't bother now. I'm only about -0.75/-1, when I came out here in summer the increased light levels were enough that I didn't need to bother with optical correction and just wore sunnies. Never got back in the habit and my eyes have got less lazy and strengthened I think. Even driving at night I don't need them now

 

EDIT 3: Also agree about polarised being a great boon here. There is a lot of glare

 

I haven't had a chance to try my transitions yet, can't wear my glasses at work so I will have to have a go on my next day off (if we get any sun that is!) the ones I got are supposed to be pretty dark.

 

pablo- I am a snobby mug haha I need a pair of sunnies to match my style! My Raybans specs are big tortoise shell cats eye glasses I can't do modern!

[blossom]

I just use transitions lenses. If I have sunglasses they have to be prescription, and working outdoors, but then needing to keep going indoors it is just not practicle to keep changing.

 

They won't do you perscription sunnies as dark as they will in the uk, due to some law about driving with too darker lense.

 

But yes, I am happy with just transitions. The sun doesn't bother me when I'm driving though. If it does you then you would need sunglasses as not much uv gets through the car windows.

[Escottsinoz]

I've been here for five years and just buy cheap throw aways from the gas station, between 15 & 25 bucks. Even cheap ones will stop 100% of UV, but as they are cheap the UV degrades the cheaper plastic faster and they get brittle and break. If you can manage to not lose them first! If you like the designer look then there's a chain of chemists (Chemist Warehouse) that does knock off styles very cheap ;-)

[Escottsinoz]

And I almost forgot... I don't buy Polaroid any more unless specifically for boating or fishing as my phone display works by polarising liquid crystal so I can't read it with those sunnies on!

[ghostgirl]

Thanks for your help, I don't drive so that won't be an issue for me. I definitely wear contact lenses more than glasses so I won't be relying on them all the time. Maybe sunglasses in Oz are better than here??

[northshorepom]

Maybe sunglasses in Oz are better than here??

 

I don't think they're any different tbh. UV is UV

[ghostgirl]

I don't think they're any different tbh. UV is UV

 

ah, just another thing my mother is paranoid about then! she is convinced the sun will be the death of me.

[memmymooch]

I have never brought expensive sunglasses but then got a couple of pairs of designer ones as a birthday gift and have to say big difference in comfort and fit/performance normally cheap metal frames stretch and get too big for me but these are staying the right fit and size and the polarised other pair actually do reduce most of the glare which the 2 cheap polarised pairs I had previously didnt to any great extent, think I may become sunglasses snob now lol

[northshorepom]

It's really no drama. No shortage of hats, sunnies, excellent sunscreens etc available here

 

I'm not poo-poohing the risk of melanoma. S-i-L has had a miraculous escape from it (3 recurrences including a secondary brain tumour). First occurrence was when she was in the UK tho'........the sun can be dangerous wherever you are. Also it's not compulsory to go in it all the time, of course

[fifi69]

I'm still using my prescription sunnies that I got before leaving UK, wish I had bought more, not looked into it yet but I'm sure they will be a lot more expensive here.

 

took me a long time to get used to always making sure I took my sunnies out with me. Now it's just part of my routine ie car keys, handbag, sunnies.

[ghostgirl]

It's really no drama. No shortage of hats, sunnies, excellent sunscreens etc available here

 

I'm not poo-poohing the risk of melanoma. S-i-L has had a miraculous escape from it (3 recurrences including a secondary brain tumour). First occurrence was when she was in the UK tho'........the sun can be dangerous wherever you are. Also it's not compulsory to go in it all the time, of course

 

Oh my god that's hideous, so glad she was ok in the end! I will be avoiding strong sun, don't want to take any chances with my skin.

 

edit- the worst sun burn I've ever had occurred when I was in Ireland!! It's dangerous anywhere you are right.

[Escottsinoz]

Depending on what your visa requirements are some of you may have to have private health insurance. Many of the popular ones will pay for glasses as a one off every two years. So the discount opticians like specsavers or optical warehouse have priced packages accordingly. I got two pairs of transitions free this January by waving my Medibank card in Optical W'hse ;-)

[ghostgirl]

Depending on what your visa requirements are some of you may have to have private health insurance. Many of the popular ones will pay for glasses as a one off every two years. So the discount opticians like specsavers or optical warehouse have priced packages accordingly. I got two pairs of transitions free this January by waving my Medibank card in Optical W'hse ;-)

 

I'm only going for a year on my WHV, but that's awesome! It was almost £300 for transition lenses (not including frames) and 3 months supply of contact lenses for me!

[Love Shoes]

I have a tested and trusty ancient pair of RayBans .... Cost 80.00 and been worth every single penny, they feel comfy, are light and do a good job. But as my eye sight has deteriorated i have had to buy a pair of prescription sunglasses, I think they're Roxy, not as comfy as my RayBans but do the job, I had them polarised, but I find the polarisation takes a bit of getting used to. As others have said no shortage of sunnies here, designer are very expensive, I looked at replacing my RayBans in the summer and changed my mind very quickly, the airport might be worth looking for a reasonable priced pair ...

 

I always wear sunnies, if ever I go out say for a stroll with the dog & forget them, I have to run back in, as the Sun is so bright, it reminds me of snow blindness when I used to go skiing.

 

I have noticed that a few of the locals here don't wear them, I would always wear them, I have early cataracts which is odd, a) I'm not that old .... very young for them my optician said and b) I have always wore quality glasses even in the UK ..... As anything bright hurts my eyes and makes them water .....

[blossom]

I'm planning on getting polarised lenses on my next pair of glasses. What part takes getting used to? I had assumed you would only notice a difference with water etc??

[Eera]

All sunglasses sold in Australia must comply with a Standard for UV protection, they should state on them or at the point of sale something like "AS/NZ 1067" and then a number which used to be from 1 to 5, but I think has now gone to 10 which indicates the UV protection level, one being lowest. It differentiates between sunglasses and fashin glasses, sunglasses being deemed to be effective against reducing UV and being 3 and above on the old scale.

 

So providing it states that you get 1067 cat 3 protection or greater, it doesn't matter whether you spend $30 or $300, the lens does the same job. I don't know the equivilent in the UK; Australia is the only country in the world to have mandatory levels of UV protection so ones bought overseas might not have much at all and really shouldn't be worn here (I'd hazard that Oakley and the ilk will have standard lenses rather than putting lower protection on UK ones but unless it states that it complies to a certain Standard you can't be sure)

 

Personally I'm wearing Eyres safety glasses I picked up free from the PPE cabinet at a minesite, they fit my head which seems oddly misshapen whenever I try on sunnies.

[Love Shoes]

I'm planning on getting polarised lenses on my next pair of glasses. What part takes getting used to? I had assumed you would only notice a difference with water etc??

 

the water bit I don't know (can't swim) but it is looking at car back window through mirror, it looks like a load of honeycombs ... with a bluey tinge .. Then mobile phone screen, and iPad screen, just different to my Rays .... I have multi focal lenses on mine ... are yours multi focal? looking ahead though and with nothing made of glass they are great, it's mainly glass that I find take a bit of getting used to ... I got mine in spec savers as a package, with my clear ones (which are quite hopeless) I think to have them polarised it was an extra $99 glad I did it though, because I think in the long run they will be better than without ..