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#1
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Best sunglasses for flying?
I miscalculated my health benefits. I expected to have to pay cash for
my medical and for some diagnostic tests that I needed to have to get the medical, but my HMO ended up picking up all of it. So I have a signficant surplus in my healthcare flexible spending account that I must spend by the end of the year or forfeit to the IRS. I will probably spend it on prescription sunglasses. What are the best sunglasses for flying if money is no object (I REALLY miscalculated)? I already have a pair of prescription ray-bans which are pretty good but not so great in hazy, glary conditions. I'd like to hear any opinions on this, like are mirrored shades better at reflecting bright light? ARe wraparounds really better at protecting your eyes from all angles? Etc. |
#2
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Ray Ban Ambermatics are excellent in haze.
The Ray Ban G31(?) green lenses are good for bright sunlight and have low UZ transmissivity xyzzy wrote: I miscalculated my health benefits. I expected to have to pay cash for my medical and for some diagnostic tests that I needed to have to get the medical, but my HMO ended up picking up all of it. So I have a signficant surplus in my healthcare flexible spending account that I must spend by the end of the year or forfeit to the IRS. I will probably spend it on prescription sunglasses. What are the best sunglasses for flying if money is no object (I REALLY miscalculated)? I already have a pair of prescription ray-bans which are pretty good but not so great in hazy, glary conditions. I'd like to hear any opinions on this, like are mirrored shades better at reflecting bright light? ARe wraparounds really better at protecting your eyes from all angles? Etc. |
#3
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xyzzy wrote: I miscalculated my health benefits. I expected to have to pay cash for my medical and for some diagnostic tests that I needed to have to get the medical, but my HMO ended up picking up all of it. So I have a signficant surplus in my healthcare flexible spending account that I must spend by the end of the year or forfeit to the IRS. I will probably spend it on prescription sunglasses. What are the best sunglasses for flying if money is no object (I REALLY miscalculated)? I already have a pair of prescription ray-bans which are pretty good but not so great in hazy, glary conditions. I'd like to hear any opinions on this, like are mirrored shades better at reflecting bright light? ARe wraparounds really better at protecting your eyes from all angles? Etc. Do a google "group" search. This has been covered before (starting on 7/06/2004)in either the student or piloting news group. The subject line was "sunglasses" There was a lot of good information there. It also indicated that the preference depended on the individual. I liked the "hidalgos" company that can provide prescription glasses in frames by several different companies. They also have a good disertation on what each type has to offer. http://www.hidalgos.com/ |
#4
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"xyzzy" wrote in message ... I miscalculated my health benefits. I expected to have to pay cash for my medical and for some diagnostic tests that I needed to have to get the medical, but my HMO ended up picking up all of it. So I have a signficant surplus in my healthcare flexible spending account that I must spend by the end of the year or forfeit to the IRS. I will probably spend it on prescription sunglasses. What are the best sunglasses for flying if money is no object (I REALLY miscalculated)? I already have a pair of prescription ray-bans which are pretty good but not so great in hazy, glary conditions. I'd like to hear any opinions on this, like are mirrored shades better at reflecting bright light? ARe wraparounds really better at protecting your eyes from all angles? Etc. Here's my tuppence -- First off, even though everone tells me glass is too much heavier than plastic, I've always opted for glass. I've heard many people with lenses from the discount places complain about how quickly their lenses became scratched. That, I think is the cause of the glare problem -- the diffraction caused by direct light on the lens surface. I'm using the word lens here because I don't think anyone wears "plastics" and spectacles are old fashioned in any case. My last pair (of glasses) suffered one small nick from being dropped. I used paper, cloth, Kleenex, lens wipes, and soap and water to clean them whereas I've heard plastic lenses require more consideration. When I decided to switch from Photogray lenses to 'real' sunglasses, the optometrist technicican asked if I wanted gray or brown coating, or maybe some other color. I picked up on the word coating pretty quick. It was explained that a film of plastic would be deposited on the lens to make sunglasses out of regular clear lenses. I didn't like that, mostly because the coating is vulnerable to scratching -- in my opinion. After haggling a while she agreed to find a source of truly brown glass. That is pigment is mixed into the glass during the manufacturing process. That cost me extra bucks and I am delighted with them. Mirrored surfaces can be more or less effective than other lenses. The important factor is the transmissivity. Unless of course, you want to appear as a 'kewl dude' in which case you need the mirrors. I was issued and wore wrap-around safety glasses for a couple years, including tinted lenses for outdoor work. When I quit wearing them, like after quitting time on the job, I never missed them. Except for protecting my eyes from debris coming in from the sides, I don't think they were of much value. Certainly not from glare. |
#5
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To make a long story short: I've finally bought Zeiss Skylet lenses and
just love them. Many pilots love their Serengettis, but I think my Zeisses are superior. The only drawback is that I have to care not to sit on them. They have a web site: http://www.zeiss.com Stefan |
#6
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I use a set of Oakley X Metal's with black iridium lenses, they've made
flying in glare and haze a real treat as the resolution and clarity is second to none - my instructor went and bought a pair after trying mine. Plus you have the knowledge that with Oakley you're getting first class protection from all of the nasties. I've even found that flying an approach into the sun is not as stressful as it once was as the glare is almost negligible, IMHO give them a try, I'm sure you'll love them. Andy |
#7
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Get whatever you want but make sure that you get Non-polorized lenses.
It makes seeing your instruments easier. Jon Kraus PP-ASEL-IA Student Mooney purchaser xyzzy wrote: I miscalculated my health benefits. I expected to have to pay cash for my medical and for some diagnostic tests that I needed to have to get the medical, but my HMO ended up picking up all of it. So I have a signficant surplus in my healthcare flexible spending account that I must spend by the end of the year or forfeit to the IRS. I will probably spend it on prescription sunglasses. What are the best sunglasses for flying if money is no object (I REALLY miscalculated)? I already have a pair of prescription ray-bans which are pretty good but not so great in hazy, glary conditions. I'd like to hear any opinions on this, like are mirrored shades better at reflecting bright light? ARe wraparounds really better at protecting your eyes from all angles? Etc. |
#8
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One important factor to remember about sunglasses for pilots is that most of
us wear headsets these days. Any but the thinnest (and, preferably, flattest) of frame temples can be a pain after a few hours of being pressed into your head. The most comfortable pair of sunglasses I ever owned had carbon fiber frames. The temples were extremely thin and flexible, yet ultra-strong. Match that with quality ground glass lenses (bifocals, of course, for us old farts) in dark neutral gray (I think lighter gray in he near vision area would be good), and you probably have as close to ideal as possible. Oh, and by the way, avoid polarized lenses. They are good for cutting glare, but since many avionics face panels are also polarized (for the same reason) using them can turn these face panels opaque. Why glass, given the weight penalty? MUCH better scratch resistance, and can safely be cleaned in flight without fussing about what sort of cloth you are using. Of course, if you require a severe correction (i.e. you are very nearsighted or farsighted), the lenses have to be thicker and the weight penalty for glass becomes larger. Bottom line: if you have a big budget for prescription sunglasses, shop first for the frames that fit best and feel most comfortable. Take your headset to the optician's for a trial "under pressure". You may have to visit several stores to find the perfect frames. -Elliott Drucker |
#9
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On Tue, 21 Sep 2004 21:59:48 +0000 (UTC), "Norfolk and Chance"
wrote: I use a set of Oakley X Metal's with black iridium lenses, they've made flying in glare and haze a real treat as the resolution and clarity is second to none - my instructor went and bought a pair after trying mine. Plus you have the knowledge that with Oakley you're getting first class protection from all of the nasties. I've even found that flying an approach into the sun is not as stressful as it once was as the glare is almost negligible, IMHO give them a try, I'm sure you'll love them. I also have a pair of Oakley's (Oakley Five 2.0, in this case) and I love them. The wraparound is wonderful and you get perfectly clear vision clear out to the edge of the lenses. The Oakely Five's have very thick plastic frames, and I thought this would be a problem with my DC headset, but I haven't had any problems (although my longest flight has only been 1.9 hours so far -- I'm still a student). -- Bryan |
#10
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On Tue, 21 Sep 2004 22:45:00 GMT, Jon Kraus
wrote: Get whatever you want but make sure that you get Non-polorized lenses. It makes seeing your instruments easier. Why is this? I know that polarized lenses cause weird problems with LCD panels, but how do polarized lenses make the aircraft instruments harder to see? -- Bryan |
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