Sunglasses for the mountains It is an essential element to protect the eyes from harmful elements, such as ultraviolet rays, wind and any particles of dust or insects that may be suspended.
Not everyone is worth it, they have to comply with the type of mountaineering you are going to practice, that are comfortable, resistant and durable, just as they have to comply with the design that best suits your face. In Hombres con Estilo We advise you how to choose the best sunglasses for the mountains.
General characteristics for sunglasses for the mountain
It is important to choose the type of glasses that adapt to the type of sport you are going to practice And what is the permanent exposure to which your eyes are going to be subjected in order to protect them as much as possible. We must not forget that we can find glasses with an optical adapter on the market in case we want to have graduated lenses.
In general terms, the best mountain goggles are those with good support, which are capable of changing their hue depending on the amount of light to which it is exposed and with a anti-fog treatment. They must also mark a category 4 and that it is polarized and photochromic.
Lenses are one of the main factors. You have to choose a lens with a category between 0 and 4, this level will allow us to the amount of visible light absorption that it can let through. To give you an idea, level 0 is an almost transparent lens and level 4 is very dark, ideal for mountain areas with snow and aquatic areas with strong reflections of the sun. It is no longer a matter of having the greatest darkness in the lens, but that it comes with the greatest anti-UV treatment.
- Colors may vary depending on the type of need, those of green They allow us to capture colors correctly. the brown ones They help us to filter blue radiation much better and increase the depth of field. the yellow ones They are suitable for cloudy days and low light, but they must also incorporate an anti-UV treatment. The gray ones They give uniformity to the light and respect the natural colors.
- Photochromic lenses: They are ideal for practicing sports such as cycling, since they adapt very well to light, without noticing the drastic gaps in light from one area to another.
- Poralized lenses: They help to increase the quality and color of the environment, they have an anti-glare effect for areas with water and snow.
You have to choose between light, comfortable glasses that adapt to the anatomy of your face, there are countless models on the market that can impress you.
With good ventilation: It is necessary to take into account the good aeration between the glasses and your face, so that the happy fogging of the lenses does not appear. This usually happens in areas of high humidity and in winter.
With some good sideburns: that are practical and have a good grip on the head. If you practice sports in the mountains such as climbing or cycling, it is important that the sideburns remain fixed. For this there are extra grip accessories such as straps.
Why are sunglasses so important in the mountains?
Sunglasses they have to protect us from something as harmful as UVB rays. It is necessary to know that every 1000 m of height that you climb a mountain, UVB rays increase by 10%. There are elements in nature that increase this level of lightning, such as snow, since it reflects 80 to 90% of the radiation. To give you an idea, an area without snow reflects 20%.
Solar radiation is multiplied by 1,5 at 2000 m above sea level, and by 2,5 at 4000 m. It should also be noted that it will be more prone depending on the season of the year and on the incidence of sunlight. Radiation is much higher in autumn than in spring, increasing up to 25% more due to the growth of the ozone layer.
Problems that can cause when not used
- The most common symptoms are usually macular degeneration, with the premature aging of all the tissues that are part of the eye.
- The Pteryphion: It is the abnormal growth of a disturbing tissue, making a small pink layer, becoming annoying and even very annoying.
- The whiteout syndrome This ailment tends to appear more when extreme cold sports are practiced, leading to freezing of the eyelids due to low temperatures, and causing loss of vision, photophobia and even irreversible necrosis.
- Photokeratitis or ophthalmia of the snows, due to long exposure to UVB rays causing erosion of the cells that cover the cornea of the eye.