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Frame Academy

If you're boarded with out-of-date sunglasses, give your wardrobe some style with a new pair. But buying new sunglasses can be fraught with danger if you don't look at what suits your face shape. The trick is not to just grab the latest pair of the racks, instead flatter your face, choose the right style and end up with serious specs appeal.

Determine your face shape

1. Determine your face shape.

The first step is to decide what face shape you have. By looking into a mirror, or taking a portrait photograph of your face you need to determine your shape.

2. Decide which styles work best with your face shape.

OVAL FACE - if your face is a perfect oval, then you're very lucky. Any frame shape will suit you so experiment with retro shapes and decorated frames. Don't be afraid to stand out from the crowd.

ROUND FACE - choose a pair of frames that are slightly wider than your face to make it look slimmer. Angular frames will add definition and a pair with a high brow bar will make your face look longer.

DIAMOND SHAPE - if you've got prominent cheekbones and a smaller forehead and chin, go for oval frames. These will soften your face as will slightly curved square frames - as long as you make sure they aren't wider than your cheekbones.

SQUARE FACE - to suit a face with a soft jaw line and a broad forehead, try some curving or oval sunglasses that will give your face definition.

OBLONG FACE - choose sunglasses with smaller lenses to make your face appear shorter. Square frames will also work and decorative temples will add width to your features.

TRIANGE SHAPE - if you have a narrow jaw and a wide forehead, you need to accentuate your eye area. Balance your jaw line with a pair of straight top line sunglasses or cats-eye glasses that angle outwards. Pick a metal frame with a rimless bottom if you want to try something new.

If you're still having trouble, then your best bet is a pair of rimless sunglasses or smaller aviators as these both suit most face shapes. When trying on sunglasses, remember that:

- You should not be able to see the majority of your eyebrow.

- The frame should follow your brow line.

- Your eye should be positioned in the middle of the lens.

Now that you've found a pair that suits your face shape, look out for colours that will complement your skin tone. If you have warmer skin, keep an eye out for pink, gold or tan pairs. Fair wearers should try monochrome colours - choose black, silver and white to avoid washing out your skin colour. Hair colour should also be considered; follow the same rules as skin tone but remember contrasts can be done when fair hair is coupled with a warmer skin tone.

Driving Sunglasses Guide - Is your summer eyewear roadworthy?

Car windscreens and motorcycle helmets have built-in UV protection, however, many motorists find that wearing sunglasses helps to reduce glare and provide added comfort in strong sunlight.

Look out for the CE or BS EN 1836:2005 marks when choosing your sunglasses - this ensures that they provide a safe level of protection from the sun's damaging UVA and UVB rays.

Top ten tips for ensuring your summer eyewear is roadworthy:

1. Visit your optometrist for practical advice on choosing appropriate eyewear for driving in all weather conditions.

2. Polarised lenses can help reduce glare from wet or polished road surfaces. However they can also highlight stress patterns in older types of toughened windscreens - which can be distracting and hazardous.

3. Make sure your sunglasses are free from marks or scratches as these can distort vision and increase glare.

4. Choose a tinted lens with an anti-reflective coating to help minimise glare.

5. If you normally wear spectacles for driving make sure you replace them with a pair of prescription sunglasses in sunny conditions. Alternatively, you can use tinted non-prescription clip-on lenses with your regular glasses.

6. Avoid sunglasses with really heavy frames. Slim arms provide the greatest all-round vision. Drivers need a visual range of at least 120 degrees. Visors are also an excellent option:

7. Never wear sunglasses with a category four filter lenses. These have an exceptionally dark tint and are unsuitable for driving. By law drivers' eyewear must have a visible light transmission in excess of eight per cent. CAT 4 lenses only transmit between three - eight per cent.

8. The Highway Code states that you should never wear sunglasses or tinted lenses for driving at night or when visibility is poor eg: if it is raining heavily, snowing or foggy.

9. Beware of pink or blue tinted lenses when driving as these can potentially distort colours - making driving dangerous. Neutral tints such as grey or brown minimise any potential colour distortion.

10. Always remember to remove your sunglasses when travelling from extremely light to dark conditions eg: when driving into a dark tunnel.

Guide to Photochromic Lenses

Whether you wear glasses or not, you can get eyestrain at the end of a long day. Televisions, computer screens, sunlight, reading and driving can all put eyes under stress and strain causing blurred vision and watery eyes. Photocromic lenses can help your eyes cope as they react to different light conditions encountered during the day.

What are photochromic lenses?
Photochromic lenses darken on exposure to sunlight and protect the eyes from ultraviolet radiation. Excessive exposure can cause permanent damage to the cornea and conjunctiva. Good photochromic lenses block out 100% of the most harmful rays of the sun, 100% of the time, adapting to changes in light and darkening in seconds.

Whilst sunglasses give comfort in very bright conditions by reducing the total amount of light and glare reaching the eye, they are not always convenient in changing light conditions and care must be taken that they meet Standard BS 2724 otherwise they won't protect the eye from the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays. In fact, non-UV absorbing lenses can do more harm than not wearing any protection at all because, behind a dark tint, the pupil increases in size allowing the harmful rays through.

Why wear prescription photochromics?
Photochromic lenses offer great flexibility to anyone needing prescription eye wear, protecting the eyes indoors and out at all times. They are made in your normal prescription so your spectacles will correct your vision and give UV protection. Photochromic lenses meet all your various needs by combining the benefits of prescription spectacles / contact lenses and sunglasses.

Choose photochromic lenses
Photochromic lenses are available in glass and plastic. Historically, glass offered the best photochromic eye protection with a faster reaction and darker tint when activated. Recent innovations and some of the newer products available have shown that plastic's performance has caught up and is now very versatile.

Glass photochromic lenses are often twice as heavy as plastic. They are not uniform in tint (which affects the colour of the lens when activated by sunlight) and are not shatter resistant. Plastic photochromic lenses, on the other hand, are both shatter and scratch resistant.

Ask your optometrist or dispensing optician about the latest product and tint range for you particular prescription.

Does the colour of the lens make a difference?
Traditionally, grey is the most popular colour in photochromic lenses, but tints can vary. Recent research shows that a brown tint is largely preferred in Europe and is widely available in most practices.

Who wears photochromic lenses?
Photochromics are versatile enough to suit almost every occasion. For golf or tennis players, where good vision is as important as comfort and protection, or schoolteachers supervising playground or sports activities as well as spending time in the classroom, photochromic lenses are ideal.

For enhanced performance your optician will tell you whether your photochromic lenses can be treated with hard coating, anti-glare and/or water repellent treatments. When combined, all three treatments make them ideal for sports and prevents misting when coming from outdoors to indoors.

Driving in photochromic lenses
Whilst driving, your photochromic lenses may not become as dark as they do outside. This is nothing to worry about, whether the lenses are activated or not your eyes are still being fully protected by the windscreen, which blocks out the harmful ultraviolet light that would normally make the photochromic lenses darken.

What about extreme conditions of sunlight?
People exposed to intense periods of extreme heat and high levels of UV should consider a second pair of prescription sunglasses made to the British Standard 2724. But in most day to day situations and activities, photochromic lenses are the most versatile option for prescription wearers.

Sunglasses for Hayfever Sufferers

Every year 15% of the UK population suffer from hayfever. Itchy eyes and noses, constant sneezing and difficulty in breathing are the most common symptoms. The effects are usually worsened in urban areas where dust and car pollution add to the problem. Contact lens wearers, suffering from irritated eyes, will benefit from following these guidelines.

Do's

DO try to avoid wearing contact lenses in hot, dry or dusty environments. If there is no choice, try to wear sunglasses as well, which will help protect your lenses and eyes from dust and pollen.

DO try to avoid wearing your contact lenses when gardening or mowing the lawn, as dust and grass pollen will get into your eyes. Do wear sunglasses, the lenses help protect your eyes.

DO wear your sunglasses on days when the pollen count is particularly high, especially if you live in an urban area.

Don'ts

DON'T sunbathe in your contact lenses and remember not to get suntan lotion on them. Sunglasses are a must better option.

DON'T ever take your lenses out and clean them in your mouth to try to wash off any pollen or dust.

DON'T continue to wear your lenses if your eyes become very sore and red. If in doubt, take them out and contact your eyecare practitioner.

Guide to Sunglasses UV Rating

The UV number provided with most sunglasses (all sunglasses sold by Star Sunglasses are UV rated) indicates the category of use (EN1836 2005/A1:2007). Category use numbers indicate the amount of glare that passes through the lens to your eye, NOT the level of UV protection.

Most sunglasses displaying an EN number will provide 100% UV protection against harmful UV-A, UV-B and UV-C rays.

EN Category ratings:

Category 0
80 - 100% of glare can pass through the lens to your eyes. The recommended use is dimmed brightness and is suitable for driving and street wear.

Category 1
43 - 80% of glare can pass through the lens to your eyes. The recommended use is high contrast brightness and is suitable for driving and street wear.

Category 2
18 - 43% of glare can pass through the lens to your eyes. The recommended use is medium brightness and is suitable for driving and street wear.

Category 3
8 - 18% of glare can pass through the lens to your eyes. The recommended use is high brightness and is suitable for driving and street wear.

Category 4
3 - 8% of glare can pass through the lens to your eyes. The recommended use is exceptional brightness and is NOT suitable for driving and street wear.