At 18:00 14 March 2005, wrote:
I couldn't disagree more with whoever says to buy the
cheapest
available. You only have one pair of eyes, and there's
lots of bad rays
out there.

I tried a half dozen pilot-recommended brands and the
winner was
Serengeti. Wonderful optics, doesn't scratch easily,
great protection,
light and comfortable.

2NO

I have used Suntigers since they hit the market in
the 80s. They were based on NASA research to reduce
UV that was causing cataracts, particularly by welding.
They based the orange color on the natural filters
in eagle's eyes. Eagles are in natural daylight all
the time, fly high, and do not get cataracts.

The orange is impossibly bright for the first two minutes,
but you can stay outdoors 12 hours and will not have
eye fatigue at the end of the day. There is an expected
amount of color shift. Greens pop out, yellows tend
to disappear, and blues tend to be black. You get
used to it quickly. The only problem is flowers; they
look weird!

You can have your own optometrist make your lenses
- even tri-focals (mine are) from C-39 plastic with
no hardener added. Send these lenses to Suntiger and
they will dye them for you and your optometrist can
put them back in your frames. I have done this with
4 pairs for myself and 4 pairs for my wife.

Soaring had a long article with graphs and charts back
in the 80s about these lenses. I have no financial
interest in the company.