friend of mine got some new sunglasses the other day. i was much saddened to find that they appeared to be nothing more than a very(!) expensive pair of fashion lenses. fashion lenses meaning that while they look good, they contribute nothing in terms of protecting one's eyes from sun damage. more than contributing no positives, fashion lenses (with no UV protection) typically contribute negatively to the health of one's eyes.

how do i know this? because not too long ago my optometrist told me one of my eyes was showing (unexpectedly early) signs of sun damage, which was enough to stir me into doing some serious research into sunglasses, and thus i am now significantly more enlightened in this matter than i would have been a few months ago. i ended up going with a pair of maui jim sport sunsets from sunglasshut, because they were about the only pair i could find which fit my minimal criteria of must haves:

• 100% UVA and UVB protection
  
• polarized
  
• wraparound frame/lens
  
• tough, durable, lightweight
  
• fit my face very well and be comfortable to wear

... and then some! the technology in maui jim lenses are actually quite impressive... take a look for yourself, i was pleasantly surprised and in the end quite happy to invest in the product :) (and mine still cost significantly less than this other brand name fashion lens... go figure)