Everyone has a different size and shape to their head and face. And while most sunglasses are made to fit the masses, sometimes a pair you really love just doesn’t fit like it should. How do you know if your sunglasses have the proper fit?

• Your sunglasses shouldn’t pinch, squeeze or slide down. They should fit snugly on your ears and nose.
• The weight of the sunglasses should be evenly distributed between your nose and ears. You shouldn’t have indents on your nose when you take them off.
• Your eyelashes should not hit the lenses.

Shopping online can make assessing these things a little tricky. But pay attention to the product description and look at the measurements. It may indicate whether the pair of sunglasses fit smaller faces, medium-sized faces or large faces. Also remember that nothing made for the masses is made perfect, and nothing certainly stays perfect. If you find that your sunglasses do need some adjustments to better fit your face, read this helpful post about sunglasses maintenance.

Glass vs. Plastic Lenses

Do you know the functional differences between glass and plastic* eyeglass lenses? Which material holds up best when scratched? Which material offers the most effective UV protection? Peruse our glass and plastic lenses pros and cons lists for these answers and more.

*Includes regular plastic, polycarbonate and high-index plastic lenses

Glass Lenses

Pros

• Glass is a highly scratch-resistant material (though no lenses are entirely scratch-proof)
• Anti-scratch coating is not required on glass lenses
• UV coating is not required on glass lenses because most glass absorbs UV radiation

Cons

• Glass lenses are generally thicker and heavier in weight (generally twice the weight of plastic), even high-index prescriptions
• Glass lenses require longer manufacturing time
• Glass lenses tend to shatter more easily than plastic (plastic lenses will crack or dent when met with resistance)
• Glass lenses are not generally used in rimless frame styles
• Glass lenses are typically more expensive
• In comparison with plastic, coating glass with an anti-reflective coating is more difficult and time-intensive

Plastic Lenses

Pros

• Plastic lenses are most often thinner in width than glass lenses, and thus less bulky
• Plastic lenses are available in every prescription and lens combination, including non-glare
• Plastic lenses can be tinted for sun-protection with a UV treatment
• Though UV coating is required, with it, plastic lenses reduce harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays better than glass
• Plastic lenses typically have a “factory scratch” coating applied (recommended)
• Plastic lenses are typically half the weight of glass lenses
• Anti-reflective coating is known to be more successful on plastic lenses
• Plastic lenses are have higher impact resistance, and are thus often a better choice for children, sportswear and safety wear

Cons

• Plastic lenses require a UV coating for full UV-protection
• Plastic lenses require more care to prevent scratching