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While many people will happily buy cheaper sunglasses at High Street stores, there are a large proportion of those who prefer to buy higher quality sunglasses that will last and keep their looks for longer. There are several designer brands that you can look for including Oakley, Dolce and Gabbana, Bloc, Bolle, Armani, Quiksilver, Spy and Electric sunglasses to name but a few! However, you should also consider the primary reason why you are buying new glasses.

The first consideration should be that your glasses comply with certain standards that are labeled differently depending on the country. In Europe the standard is EN 1836:2005, in the US the standard is ANSI Z80.3-1972 and Australia AS1067. Basically, don't go by price but by the amount of UV protection the glasses give you.

Sunglasses should protect against 100% of UV rays and also filter out UVA, UVB and UVC as well. You should also remember that irrespective of the colour or darkness of the lens, it is actually the clear outer coating that filters the rays and not the colour.

So, why are you considering buying new sunglasses? For instance, do you really want them for driving, for fishing, for golf, water sports, mountaineering, or perhaps for cycling? Many people don't consider the reason, but you should because the colour of the lenses and construction of the glasses can affect your vision in different ways. The preferred use of your glasses is probably why some sunglasses come with interchangeable lenses such as the Oakley sunglass kits.

For example, some tints can illicit colour distortion that can affect driving performance. Driving glasses need to keep you alert and keep your eyes comfortable without causing headaches. Look for polarised lenses preferably with a grey tint as this is neutral and would not affect contrast or distort any colours.

If you are a golfer, yellow is the colour of choice as it enhances contrast and depth perception. For cycling, you really need a tougher lens and to consider the increased airflow to the face, you need to protect the peripheral vision and also consider the fit of the helmet with the glasses.

There are a few sports that demand particular elements for sunglasses. For example, for mountaineering and other altitude sports one needs to consider extremely bright conditions as well as the high altitudes. Altitude sports essentially require a category 4 lens that take the conditions into account. Glasses or goggles required for water sports such a surfing or kayaking etc., should be shatterproof, should not fog, have a nose cushion, be buoyant and have a means of fixing such as a strap.

In summary, go for the best UV protection; consider the colour of the lens and other properties in relation to the use you are buying your sunglasses for.