Sunglasses

SUNGLASSES by RayBan

You have to see the point: those Rs 200 Ray-Ban ripoffs might look just as cool as the real thing, but they will protect your eyes only as effectively as a bikini will keep you warm in Siberia. A reliable, all-purpose pair of sunglasses will cost you about Rs 1,500. Steep? Think of years of ophthalmologist and optician bills, think of the irreversible damage not using sunglasses or using a bad pair will cause. You can get a good pair cheap, but then you need to be sure that the lenses are distortion-free. Fairly easy to tell: find a surface with repeating lines ruled paper, for example. Hold the sunglasses a little away from your face and cover one eye. Look through at the lines while moving the sunglasses slowly from left to right and then up and down if the lines wiggle or waver, the sunglasses are not optical quality. Good glasses also have to guaran­tee 100 per cent UV protection (this you won't know without a friendly optician). That's where ripoffs let you down. Stick with speciality brands.

Having said that, how do you choose from the mind-numbing array on offer? The key determinant, apart from your budget, is what you need those glasses for. Pick lightweight polycarbonate (high-impact resistance) lenses for sportswear. Polarised lenses when you expect a lot of reflected glare (highway driving, skiing or watersports). Choose the lens colour carefully: grey, brown and amber are good for casual wear or driving; yellow and gold for snowsports; purple or rose tints offer the best contrast against green or blue backdrops (ideal for jungle safaris).