"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.