Prescription Sunglasses: Your Complete Guide

You know the feeling. You finally find a pair of sunglasses you love, slip them on, and the world goes soft and blurry. Or you wear your everyday glasses out on a bright day and spend the whole walk squinting into the glare.

If you need vision correction, ordinary sunglasses ask you to choose between seeing clearly and shielding your eyes. Prescription sunglasses remove that compromise.

They do two jobs at once. They sharpen your vision to your exact prescription, and they protect your eyes from the sun. For anyone who drives, travels, exercises or simply enjoys being outdoors, that is a combination worth having.

This guide walks you through what actually matters: how prescription sunglasses work, the lens options worth knowing about, how to choose a pair that suits your life, and how we approach them here at Perspective Optometrists in Belsize Park.

What are prescription sunglasses?

Prescription sunglasses are simply sunglasses with lenses made to your own prescription. Rather than a flat tinted lens that anyone could wear, the lens corrects your vision in exactly the way your everyday glasses do, while also reducing brightness and blocking ultraviolet light.

That means short-sightedness, long-sightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia can all be built into a tinted lens. If you wear everyday prescription glasses, there is almost certainly a sunglasses version that will work for you too.

How they differ from ordinary sunglasses

Off-the-shelf sunglasses only do one thing. They cut the brightness. They cannot correct your sight, so if you need glasses to see clearly, a high-street pair leaves you choosing between comfort in the sun and sharp vision.

Prescription sunglasses are made individually. The lens is ground to your prescription, then tinted and treated to your needs. Because the optics are tailored to you, the view stays crisp from the centre of the lens to the edges, which matters a great deal when you are driving or moving quickly.

There is a little more to consider with frame choice and lens thickness, particularly with stronger prescriptions, but modern lens materials have widened the options enormously. We will come back to that below.

Why UV protection is the part that really counts

It is tempting to judge sunglasses by how dark they look. In reality, the tint and the protection are two separate things.

A dark lens with no ultraviolet filter can actually be worse than no sunglasses at all, because the darkness makes your pupils open wider and lets more UV reach the back of the eye. The College of Optometrists is clear on this point: a darker lens does not mean more protection, and what you want to see is the CE mark or the British Standard BS EN ISO 12312-1:2013.

UV exposure builds up over a lifetime and has been linked to cataracts and possibly to macular degeneration. Good sunglasses are not a fashion afterthought. They are everyday eye care, in the same way sun cream protects your skin.

Every pair of prescription sunglasses we make comes with full UV protection as standard, so the protection is never the thing you have to compromise on.

Your lens options, explained simply

This is where prescription sunglasses become genuinely personal. The right combination depends on what you do in them.

Polarised lenses

Polarised lenses cut glare from flat, reflective surfaces such as water, wet roads and car bonnets. They are wonderful for driving on a bright day, for time near the sea, and for sport. Worth knowing: polarisation reduces glare but is separate from UV protection, so you want both in the same lens, which is exactly how we supply them.

Photochromic lenses

Photochromic lenses adjust to the light around you. They are clearer indoors and darker outdoors, which makes one pair work across the day. They are a popular halfway house if you do not want to switch between two pairs. One honest caveat: most photochromic lenses do not darken fully behind a car windscreen, so if bright driving is your main need, a dedicated tinted or polarised lens often serves you better. You can read more about how different lens types and coatings work on our lenses page.

Polarised vs photochromic: which should you choose?

Neither wins outright; they simply suit different needs. If your main concern is glare, especially driving and time near water, polarised is the stronger choice. If you want a single pair that copes with going in and out of the light all day, photochromic is the more convenient option. The deciding question is usually how you will spend most of your time in them, and that is exactly the sort of thing we will talk through with you.

Fixed tints

A classic, even tint in the colour and depth you prefer. Browns and greys are the most versatile, while some people like a contrast-boosting tint for sport. We will guide you on what suits your eyes and your activities.

Lens materials and coatings

The material matters as much as the tint.

• Polycarbonate and Trivex lenses are light and impact-resistant, which makes them a sensible choice for sport and active days outdoors.
• High-index lenses keep stronger prescriptions thinner and lighter, so your sunglasses stay comfortable and look slim.
• Anti-reflective coatings on the back surface reduce distracting reflections bouncing into your eyes, and a mirror finish on the front adds extra glare control with a striking look.

Single vision, varifocal and wraparound

Your prescription sunglasses can be made as single vision for distance, or as varifocals if you already wear them, so you can read a menu in the sunshine without swapping glasses. If you have just had your eyes tested and want to understand the figures, our guide to reading your glasses prescription breaks it down in plain English.

For runners, cyclists and anyone active, wraparound frames curve closer to the face and block light and wind from the sides. These can be made to prescription too, within certain limits for stronger prescriptions, and we will tell you honestly what will and will not work before you commit.

Do you need a separate pair? Clip-ons and the alternatives

A dedicated pair of prescription sunglasses is not your only option, and it is worth being honest about the alternatives.

Clip-on or magnetic sun lenses attach to your everyday frames, which keeps the cost down and means one set of frames to carry. They are practical, though they rarely sit as cleanly or look as considered as a purpose-made pair, and the tint quality varies.

Fit-over sunglasses go on top of your glasses and are a cheap, occasional fix, but most people find them bulky for regular wear. Photochromic lenses in your normal glasses are another route if you want one pair that adapts, with the windscreen caveat noted above.

For most people who are out in the sun often, a separate prescription pair still gives the best vision, the best protection and the look they actually want. If you are unsure which route suits you, that is an easy thing for us to help you weigh up.

Choosing a pair for the way you live

The best pair of prescription sunglasses is the one that fits your routine, not just your face.

• Driving: polarised or a solid tint with anti-reflective treatment cuts road glare and keeps the view crisp.
• Holidays and the beach: full UV protection and a comfortable, larger frame shield your eyes from light coming in around the edges.
• Sport and the outdoors: light, impact-resistant lenses in a wraparound or secure-fitting frame stay put when you move.
• Everyday wear: a versatile tint or photochromic lenses, so one pair covers most of what your day throws at you.

Prescription sunglasses for children

Children’s eyes need protecting just as much as adults’, arguably more so. Their pupils are larger, and the lens inside a child’s eye is clearer, which lets more ultraviolet light reach the back of the eye. Because UV exposure adds up over a lifetime, good habits started young are genuinely valuable.

If your child wears glasses, a prescription sunglasses pair means they can see clearly and play happily in the sunshine without squinting. Paediatric eye care is a real strength of ours, and our children’s eye examinations make sure their prescription is right before we fit any lens. We will help you choose a frame that is comfortable, hard-wearing and one they will actually want to wear.

Frames worth wearing

We are an independent practice, so we deliberately step away from the mass-produced frames you see everywhere. Instead, we hand-pick a small, characterful range of frames from independent and craft-led makers. Many of these can be made up as prescription sunglasses.

A taste of the brands you will find in our sunglasses range:

• Maui Jim. Born in Hawaii and built for bright light, with polarised lenses that give beautifully clear, glare-free vision.
• Anne et Valentin. Playful, colourful French frames that turn heads in the city and on the beach in equal measure.
• SALT. Understated, classic shapes made from Japanese acetate and titanium, with polarised lenses to cut glare.
• Rolf. Lightweight, durable and quietly sophisticated frames from this award-winning Austrian maker, a favourite for active, classic taste.

This is only a sample. The best way to find your pair is to try a few on, which you can do any time you visit us in Belsize Park. If you would like a head start, our guide to choosing frame colours for your skin tone and hair is a lovely place to begin.

How we make prescription sunglasses at Perspective

Everything we do starts with an unhurried, optometrist-led eye examination. We give the appointment proper time so your prescription is accurate and your eye health is fully checked, because the lens is only ever as good as the prescription behind it.

From there, your styling consultation is relaxed and genuinely advisory. We help you choose a frame that flatters you and a lens that suits how you live, and we are honest when a particular combination will not work as well as you hope.

We have a long-standing specialism in Seiko lenses, and we offer interest-free payment options to help spread the cost. Once your sunglasses are ready, our aftercare looks after you for the life of the glasses, including adjustments to keep them sitting comfortably.

Whether you are close by in Hampstead, Primrose Hill or Camden, or travelling in on the Northern or Jubilee line, you will find us on England’s Lane in Belsize Park. And once you have your new pair, our guide to keeping your glasses clean will help them stay clear and last longer.

If you would like a fuller sense of what to expect, including how to get the most from your visit, our guide to preparing for your eye examination and our sunglasses buying guide are both worth a read.

Frequently asked questions

Are prescription sunglasses worth it?

If you need glasses to see clearly and you spend any real time outdoors, then yes. They let you see sharply and protect your eyes at the same time, without juggling two pairs or squinting through the glare. For many people, they quickly become the pair they reach for most in summer.

Can I get prescription sunglasses on the NHS?

The NHS does not usually fund prescription sunglasses for adults, although tinted lenses are sometimes provided where there is a specific medical need. If you are eligible for an NHS optical voucher, it may help towards the cost. The simplest thing is to ask us, and we will tell you exactly where you stand. You can also see our pricing and frequently asked questions for more.

How much do prescription sunglasses cost?

The price depends on your frame, your prescription and the lens options you choose, so there is no single figure. We are always clear about the cost before you commit, and our interest-free payment options can help spread it. The friendliest way to get an accurate idea is to pop in and talk it through.

Polarised or photochromic lenses, which is better?

Neither is better overall; they just suit different needs. Polarised lenses are the strongest choice for glare, so they shine for driving, water and bright sports. Photochromic lenses adjust to the light and give you one pair for indoors and out, though they do not darken fully behind a car windscreen. If you are torn, tell us how you will mostly use them, and we will point you to the right one.

Can any frame be made into prescription sunglasses?

Most frames can take a tinted prescription lens. The main considerations are how strong your prescription is and how curved the frame is, since very wrapped frames can be tricky with stronger prescriptions. We will check this for you and be straight about what works.

How long do they take to make?

It depends on the lenses, as more specialised tints and prescriptions take a little longer to craft. We will give you a clear timeframe when you order, so you always know when to expect them.