fit over eyewear - flash vs. function

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Skin Deep Kieran Hardy, Live Eyewear Inc. December 2010 | WP-011212 Fit-over Eyewear: Flash versus Function The evaluation process of fit-over eyewear is unlike that for fashion or sport sunglasses. This document identifies the most common misconceptions consumers have regarding the fit-over category. Eyecare professionals that have a general understanding of fit-over eyewear are able to help their patients make decisions that are dictated by sound reason instead of superficial appeal. Consumers who are educated as to the differences between conventional and fit-over sunglasses can often make better purchasing decisions. This document can serve both parties.

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What to look for if you're buying fit-over sunglasses.

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Page 1: Fit over eyewear - flash vs. function

Skin Deep

Kieran Hardy, Live Eyewear Inc.December 2010 | WP-011212

Fit-over Eyewear: Flash versus Function

The evaluation process of fit-over eyewear is unlike that for fashion or sportsunglasses. This document identifies the most common misconceptions consumershave regarding the fit-over category. Eyecare professionals that have a generalunderstanding of fit-over eyewear are able to help their patients make decisions thatare dictated by sound reason instead of superficial appeal. Consumers who areeducated as to the differences between conventional and fit-over sunglasses canoften make better purchasing decisions. This document can serve both parties.

Page 2: Fit over eyewear - flash vs. function

Fit-over Eyewear: Flash versus Function

The “fit-over” sunglass. It’s a curious combination ofthe obvious and the obscure. A straightforwardconcept that’s easily grasped. One that needs little orno explanation. As prevalent today as they were in thenineteenth century, fit-overs continue to be a practicalsunwear solution for those that wear glasses.

There’s more fit-over sunglasses purchased annuallythan photochromic lenses and prescription sunglassescombined. Despite this, there’s not really that muchinformation available about the overall category. Whatlittle there is happens to be published by thecompanies that make fit-over sunglasses. That type ofinformation is brand specific. The main purpose of it isto assure the reader that that particular brand is thebest. It’s the right choice. It’s the finest product of itssort.

That’s marketing. Hype. Propaganda. Puffery. If youdon’t really know much about the general fit-overcategory it’s going to be a challenge discerning factfrom fiction. It’s difficult to isolate what’s absolutelyessential. What’s preferred. What’s trifling.

In 1613, poet Thomas Overbury wrote “All the carnalbeauty of my wife, is but skin deep.” What his wifethought about this isn’t recorded. Overbury’s intentwas to persuade a friend, who was infatuated with a“lady of ill-repute”, to look past her physical beauty andinstead examine her character before rushing intomarriage.

This paper has a similar objective. Unlike conventionalsunglasses, fit-over sunwear isn’t purchased as afashion accessory. The principal buying motivation fora fit-over isn’t style or panache. It’s function andintrinsic worth.

A good fit-over has character. And character issomething that can’t be seen on the outside. You haveto look a little deeper.

2. Skin Deep: Best Practices for Choosing a fit-over Sunglass

Vistana (circ. 2006)

World’s first wrap fit-over

Page 3: Fit over eyewear - flash vs. function

Admission

It should be recognized that although I believe I’mgiving you an unbiased examination of the fit-overclass of eyewear, I’m not an impartial third party.

Having been involved with the fit-over industry sincethe 1990’s, I’ve been fortunate enough to haveparticipated in the product’s progression from a tendollar corner drug store item to a professional gradedevice customarily dispensed by highly trainedeyecare professionals.

I consider Cocoons®

(my company’s product) to be thefinest fit-over sunglass in the world. That’s my opinionand it’s subjective. What isn’t debatable is that LiveEyewear has been responsible for the majority ofinnovations in the fit-over arena. We were the first toproduce professional grade fit-overs, we pioneered fullwrap and side shield-less designs and we continue toobsolete our own market leading product line with newdesigns infused with more innovations.

Throughout this paper I’ll use Cocoons fit-oversunglasses as an example or reference point. It couldbe said that’s not objective. The fact is there are facetsof fit-over sunglass design that I know to be important.There’s are also features of some fit-overs that arecompletely contrived. This papers purpose is toeducate you on what to look for when evaluating a fit-over sunglass. And how to identify aspects that arenothing more than “creative salesmanship”. Cocoonsare the product I feel most comfortable using as anexample as I know what they can do and how it’sdone. And I know what they don’t do and why.

It would be anomalous of me if I didn't believeCocoons are the quintessential product to use as acase in point. However, I’ll make every effort not do soas much as possible. I won’t identify or be detrimentalto any other specific brand.

3. Skin Deep: Best Practices for Choosing a fit-over Sunglass

Mike Iaconelli – Cocoons Pro Staff

2001 Bass Master Champion

Page 4: Fit over eyewear - flash vs. function

The Expedition

Recently, I needed to find some material related to fit-over sunglasses from the mid ‘90’s. I was searching forarticles, white papers, medical journals or advertisements that were specifically about fit-over sunglasses. Iwasn’t expecting to find much. Fit-overs may be the center of my universe but for most people they’re not. But Iwas pleasantly surprised. Fit-overs were written about quite prolifically throughout the 1990’s. I found countlessarticles, reviews and advertisements in newspapers, magazines and every other type of media imaginable.

As I went about gathering the various specimens, I started to come upon materials from the 1980’s. Scientistswere using fit-overs in low vision research. Retailers were advertising them. People who had lost a pair hadplaced notices in newspaper ‘lost and found’ sections of their local newspaper. I even found them mentioned infictional novels. As I continued to search I found instances from the 1970’s. Then the 60’s. The 50’s. Ieventually found myself reviewing materials from the 1800’s. Not only did the prevalence of fit-over sunglassesremain constant, the further I went back the more the frequency increased. I assume that there was a timewhen a fit-over was one of the few, if not the only solution available to the bespectacled.

I found it intriguing to observe the continual evolution, the arrival of new technologies and the ever increasingprice of a fit-over. One of the things that most struck me was the gradual drifting away from a focus on thefunction towards an emphasis on fashion. Nowadays fit-over manufacturers know the best way to increasetheir market share is to tout their styling, elegance and colors.

4. Skin Deep: Best Practices for Choosing a fit-over Sunglass

And they’re right. Fit-overs have been around for so longthat most people think a fit-over is a fit-over. They all dothe same thing. So why not buy the one that looks thebest. The most stylish. The coolest coloring.

By diverting attention towards fashion, features andperformance become secondary. There’s virtually no costto painting glasses. Updating technology and completelyrevising designs to improve performance is expensive.

Eyecare professional are charged with providingguidance. Patients are expecting the best in care. Theywant professional product expertise and opinion. If theydidn’t, they’d be shopping at the closest mass merchant ordrug store.

I hope that this paper helps both the buyer and the seller.

Advertisement for fitovers

Piqua Daily Call – Jun. 28, 1935

Page 5: Fit over eyewear - flash vs. function

The Frame Design

Evaluating a fit-over begins with the frame.Think of it as a chassis that everything is builtupon. If there’s a deficiency, it doesn’t matterwhat’s added to it. It’s always going to performpoorly. That’s a lesson I learned the hard way inmy teenage years.

I was buying my first used car. I didn’t havemuch money so my options were limited. I’dnarrowed it down to two candidates. Onepossibility was a Mini. I’m from New Zealandwhere Mini’s were popular cars. They wereeconomical and rarely had mechanicalproblems. If they did, repairs were inexpensive.Mini’s were practical.

The other was an old English car. The VauxhallVictor. It was big and looked fast. Victors arenormally more expensive than Mini’s but thisone was around the same price. The selleradmitted that the engine needed a ‘little work’and he showed me the trick to turning the heateron. The interior was trashed but it still was aVictor. Because of the way it looked, I bought it.

The classic muscle car appearance didn’t seemas important to me when the radiator startedleaking. By the time I’d saved enough to replacea defective water pump it blew the head gasket.Even when it was operative I wasn’t driving it asmuch as I’d like as it gulped gas faster than Icould afford to fill it.

After the starter stopped working I gave up andleft it moored outside of a friends house.Eventually it was towed away.

I might not have made that mistake if I newanything about cars. The same is true for a fit-over. All that glitters is not gold.

6. Skin Deep: Best Practices for Choosing a fit-over Sunglass

There’s two elements of a fit-over chassis thatare essential. The frame material must bemalleable. And there must be an undercarriage.

Malleable means that you can twist and bendthe frame. It should be supple yet strong enoughto return to it’s original form. It ought to feel soft.

When a fit-over is worn it makes contact with theeyeglasses in various places. This is called the‘ride’. How a fit-over rides is primarily dictatedby the fit. If it’s the wrong size or shape, the rideis going to be unpleasant. But assuming thesunglass fits correctly, the second variable is thedurometer of the material.

A durometer test generates a numericalexpression which indicates the hardness of amaterial. The lower the durometer, the softer itis.

TR-90, which is used for most plastic eyewear,has a higher durometer than Nylon, which iswhat many high quality fit-overs are made of. Inthe eyewear industry, TR-90 is often referred toas ‘Grilamid’. Since Nylon is softer than TR-90 ithas a tendency to better absorb any impactshould the fit-over move or even bounce. Softermaterial acts much like a microscopic shockabsorber. It also mutes audible contact,eliminating the clattering one may experiencewith a harder, plastic type frame.

Page 6: Fit over eyewear - flash vs. function

The Frame Design (cont.)

If a fit-over frame is made of TR-90 it has lessflexibility. It’s stiffer. If it’s stepped on forinstance, there’s a good chance it’ll crack. Whena malleable fit-over is stepped on, driven over orsat on there’s usually no damage. And becausethere’s very little give to TR-90, the slightestmovement of the fit-over can begin to rub andwear on areas of the prescription frame. Theprescription glasses are subjected to possiblepaint loss, scratches and abrasions from therepeated rubbing in the exact same place. Wehave a video that demonstrates the resilience ofa nylon frame. We drive a car over a pair ofCocoons. Twice. Then we pop the lenses backin that had been forced out of the lens cavitywhen it was squashed. Good as new. Not ascratch. The Nylon material has sufficientmemory to return to it’s original form.

Another side effect from TR-90 is clattering. Ifsomeone’s wearing a fit-over that makes asound as it rides a pair of eyeglasses, theincessancy of it can become deafening. Weactually enhance the suppleness of Cocoons byencasing them in a layer of Soft Touch®. It’s avelvet-like skin that’s only 1/1000th of an inchthick but behaves much like a microscopicmattress.

However, there’s a major disadvantage to usingSoft-Touch encased Nylon. It’s the painting ofthe material. Grilamid is translucent. It hasglasslike properties. Creative tinting or paintingcan produce eye-catching artwork. TR-90frames can be back-sprayed and even havepigment injected. Because of this, it’s one of themost prevalent materials used by eyewearmanufacturers.

I wish I could do that with Cocoons.Unfortunately, the properties of Nylon differ fromthose of Grilamid. But remember, the stimulusfor buying a fit-over is function. It’s not fashion.Thanks to my Vauxhall Victor experience I’velearned to never sacrifice one for the other.

6. Skin Deep: Best Practices for Choosing a fit-over Sunglass

The second component is the undercarriage. Ifyou turn a pair of fit-over sunglasses upsidedown, you’ll see that the frame either has areturn underneath each lens or it doesn’t. Inother words the eyeglasses are fully enclosedinside the fit-over as opposed to the bottom ofthe prescription glasses being left exposed.

The presence of an undercarriage is possiblythe most significant element to look for whenassessing a fit-over. Without one, performancelevels are decimated. Actually, decimated isprobably too strong a word. Perhaps‘considerably reduced’ is more fitting.

Light, often in the form of glare, can be reflectedoff a myriad of surfaces such as snow, sand orpavement. Up to 70% of visible light can bereflected light.

A fit-over with an undercarriage entirelyencapsulate the eyes. Practically all light thatenters the field of vision is filtered. It’s travelledthrough the lens system by way of a primarylens or a side shield. All other light is blockedfrom entering. A calm environment is created.The eyes stop continually adjusting tofluctuating light conditions. Eye strain andfatigue are reduced. The eyes relax. It’s actuallytherapeutic.

If there’s no undercarriage, reflected light willenter from below. The untreated light mixes inwith the virtuous and instantaneously dilutes the‘cocooning’ effect. Any sense of serenity isdiminished due to it’s erratic intensity andbehavior. Fortunately for some of ourcompetitors this shortcoming isn’t noticed by thecustomer. It’s impossible for them to know whatcould have been.

To prove to yourself the importance of anundercarriage, try a pair with and a pair withoutan undercarriage just for an hour. You’ll seewhat I mean.

Page 7: Fit over eyewear - flash vs. function

Adjustability

Imagine eating your favorite meal. Prepared andpresented exactly the way you like it. Nowimagine that you had to eat that exact samemeal every day. Today. Tomorrow. Forever. Novariety of any kind. Eat it or you don’t eat.

However much you love your old favorite,there’ll come a point when you’ll start skippingmealtimes. You can try mixing it up a bit bydyeing the food different colors or creatingvisually stunning culinary masterpieces, butnothing’s going to change the taste. You mighteventually reach the point that you stop eatingaltogether.

Wearing a fit-over is the same thing.

Assume you’ve recently bought a new fit-over.You chose it because it was the most attractiveto you. You love how it fits and you’re sincerelyappreciative of the improvement to your qualityof life. It’s stylish. You’re wearing it everywhere.

The majority of the time you’ll be wearing it inbursts of less than 20 minutes. Going to thestore. Walking the dog. Driving home from work.But there are instances when you’ll wear it forlonger periods. At the beach or a long drive forexample. These lengthier sessions are referredto as periods of ‘extended wear’.

During extended wear, any drawbacks ofwearing a fit-over are magnified. They’ll still lookattractive but the significance of the style andthe coloring has worn off a bit.

You’re starting to focus more on the actualreason you bought them.

6. Skin Deep: Best Practices for Choosing a fit-over Sunglass

Just like your eyeglasses, a fit-over has but onecorrect position. Once properly put over yourglasses it should stay in that position until it’staken off. Irrespective of the shape of yourprescription eyewear, you’re eyeglasses willcome into contact with the fit-over temples. It’sinescapable. Because neither frame shouldmove, those points of contact won’t change.

The most prevalent interaction will be aboveyour ears. That’s usually where the prescriptionand fit-over temples crisscross. Naturally, afteran extended period of time, the region canbecome irritated. Even my Cocoons will do thesame thing. The problem was of no concernwhen you were wearing the glasses in shortbursts but now, after a solid hour, it’s becomeannoying. Thoroughly irritating.

What do you do?

Most people raise them to sit on top of yourhead or they take them off completely.Regardless of what they do, the fit-over is nolonger being used.

Conversely, it’s a quick fix if the fit-over hasadjustable temples. A slight change to the formof the fit-over temple and voila! Points of contactchanged. Irritation eliminated.

Your fit-over is still in the correct position andremains comfortable and secure. Nothing haschanged except a slight variance to the fit-overtemple’s landing point.

What’s the point of a fit-over that you can’tstand to wear during times that you probablyneed them more than ever?

Page 8: Fit over eyewear - flash vs. function

The Lens System

Unlike conventional glasses, fit-overs have sidelenses. They’re necessary because a properlydesigned chassis will hinder peripheral vision.

In 2001 I designed a fit-over that didn’t haveside lenses. The glasses looked more or lesslike regular sunglasses. The fashion consciousoften chose them instead of Cocoons. Afterwearing them for a while they weren’t soenamored. Their satisfaction levels dropped toan unacceptable level. And they weredangerous.

Any reduction in peripheral vision isn’t safe.Changing lanes on a freeway is a good exampleof when your peripheral needs to be unimpeded.

There’s two types of side lenses. Injected andstamped. One is an expensive process and onecosts six cents per pair.

Cocoons side lenses are injection molded. Thismanufacturing method requires the building of aspecial mold. Pure, boiling hot liquidpolycarbonate is injected into the mold atextraordinary pressure. The injection force andtiming are calculated to insure that every cavityin the mold is filled precisely with the rightamount. As it cools to a solid form,polycarbonate shrinks. That’s another variableto the manufacturing equation.

Once the polycarbonate as cooled, the sidelenses are removed from the mold and sent totumbling. Tumbling is a process that removesany burs and polishes up the lenses.

The result is a side lens that follows the contourof the frame, but varies in thicknesses to delivercrystal clear vision. No distortion.

6. Skin Deep: Best Practices for Choosing a fit-over Sunglass

Stamping is an alternative way of making a sidelens. This process is much simpler. It involvesthe use of a press that stamps out thousands ofside lenses from reels of cellulose acetate.Picture a reel of movie film, but much thicker.That’s kind of what cellulose acetate is like.

This method is quick, easy and inexpensive. Icall it the six cent method as that’s about what itcosts to make a set of this type of side lens. Tobe fair, the costs of raw materials and laborhave increased since the last time I brushed upon stamping. I’ll start calling it the eight centmethod.

The advantage of molding a side lens is that wecontrol the curvature and prevent the lens fromflexing. This means there’s no distortion. If alens is flexible and is held in place by it’s ownresistance against the lens bevel, there willusually be some distortion.

I don’t think I need to explain the hazard ofhaving distorted peripheral vision.

Live Eyes (circ. 2001)

World’s first non side shield fit-over

Page 9: Fit over eyewear - flash vs. function

The Lens System (cont.)

There’s a few more reasons we inject our sideshields. Acetate can be an unstable lensmaterial. After being made, the reels of acetateare supposed to be left to cure. This allows allthe moisture that maybe trapped in the lens todissipate. Then the lens becomes stable. Itstops shrinking.

The problem we find is that there’s such ademand for the material it’s often rushed out tocustomers before it’s fully cured. There’s thepossibility that it’s still subject to shrinkage.

When the side lenses are stamped out of thematerial and then inserted into the side lenscavity they may still be shrinking. Although theshrinkage factor is almost infinitesimal, it’ssometimes enough to loosen what should be atight fit. If it loosens enough, it will rattle whenthe frame is shaken as it moves around in thecavity. If it shrinks a lot, the lens falls out.

One of the first things I do when I pick up a fit-over made by someone else is flex the frame todetermine the frame material. The second thingI do is shake it. It’s just a habit. But a good one.

Try popping out an injection molded side lens.It’s almost impossible with a well made fit-over.A stamped lens will spring out like it’s been shotout of a cannon

Last thing about side lenses. Some stampedside lenses are polarized but there’s no suchthing as a polarized injection molded side lens.Not only would such a mechanism be almostimpossible to manufacture, it would cost afortune. So much so that it would drive the retailprice of a fit-over through the roof.

But that’s not the reason we don’t polarize sidelenses.

6. Skin Deep: Best Practices for Choosing a fit-over Sunglass

We don’t polarize side shields because there isno benefit to it. It would serve no purpose.Touting a polarized side shield as a featurewould be, in my opinion, a gimmick.

Here’s why. Polarized lenses greatly reduceglare. Glare occurs when you look at an objectthat reflects light, such as water for example, ata particular angle that happens to be equal tothe angle that the light is being reflected.Because the reflective surface of the object isgathering scattered light and then redirecting itat a specific angle and direction, the light ismore intense, because there’s more of it. Due tothe intensity, our eyes can’t handle it so we justsee glare. Glare can be mild or it can becompletely blinding. It all has to do with theangle and direction the light is being directed. Ifyou look directly into the path of it, at the rightangle, you’ll be hit by the glare.

If glare is blinding you from what would normallybe the peripheral it means you must have eyeson the side of your head. Like a pigeon. Or agoldfish.

Since most of us don’t have eyes positioned infront of our ears, we can’t look directly at theintense beam light through the side shield.However, if you turn your head towards thesource of the glare and do look directly at it, thepolarized front lenses kick in and take care of it.

The real reason that most stamped side lensesare polarized is because they’re stamped out ofthe same material the front lenses are. Savesthe manufacturer money.

Touting polarized side lenses as a feature thatbenefits the wearer and as an advantage over anon-polarized side shield fit-over, is in myopinion, peddling snake oil.

Page 10: Fit over eyewear - flash vs. function

The Lens System (cont.)

The second component of a fit-over lens systemare the primary lenses. Also known as the ‘front’lenses. These are the lenses you look directlyout of. There is so much I could tell you aboutlenses that it would take a week. So I’ll justsummarize what’s critical.

Make sure the lens in the fit-over is 100%UVA&B. This is often referred to as “UV400”.That means it blocks out UV rays up to 400nanometers. That’s all the harmful UV. Thereare a lot of brands that don’t block 100%.They’re using a lens tint that’s less expensivethat only blocks to 380 nanometers. “UV380”.

You need the lenses to be scratch resistant. Fit-over sunglasses are treated so poorly that if thelenses aren't somewhat resistant to scratchesthey will gradually haze over. Hazing is aprocess where tiny little scratches, almostundetectable, start covering the surface of thelenses. As the scratches increase, the clarity ofthe lens is hazed. It’s not as clear as it was.

Polarization. Always buy polarized fit-overs. Ifthey’re not polarized, you’re just wearing tintedlenses that reduce light transmission. Glare willstill be present. It will still make you squint.Polarization prevents this.

Lastly, pick a lens tint that best suits you. Don’tbase your decision purely on what themanufacturer tells you. Many manufacturers,Live Eyewear included, state that a specific tintis best for driving. Another is best for fishing.That may be the case. But until you try ityourself, you won’t know if you like it or not. Onaverage, 65% of people wear a gray lens. That’sbecause gray lenses deliver natural colordefinition. Other tints may alter colors from whatthey actually are but increase contrast forexample. It’s all comes down to personalpreference.

6. Skin Deep: Best Practices for Choosing a fit-over Sunglass

Live Eyewear Cocoons

Tortoise frame with Copper tint

Page 11: Fit over eyewear - flash vs. function

The Warranty

In general, the eyewear/eyecare business isintense. Just about every designer and fashionbrand you can think of also has a line ofprescription frames and sunglasses. There’sliterally thousands of brands.

Some of the eyewear and eyecare companiesare multi-national, billion dollar corporations.They manufacture millions and millions of pairsevery year.

My company Live Eyewear, isn’t a globaleyewear conglomerate. We’re referred to as a‘boutique’ manufacturer. We specialize in aparticular niche. We take our time designing andbuilding Cocoons. There’s actually quite a fewcomponents and there’s a lot of labor involved inputting a pair together.

The overwhelming majority of molded glassesuse two molds. One to make the front frame andone to make the temples. On the other hand, ittakes seven molds to make a pair of Cocoons.And we paint and assemble every pair by hand.Our authenticity emblems are even inserted byhand as are the front and side lenses. It’s anexpensive process. It’s time consuming.

But we choose to do it this way. There arealternative ways and shortcuts to doing thethings but we tend to take the long road. Thereason is quality. Nothing else. If there’s a lessexpensive way of doing something that deliversthe same quality, we’d do it. Unfortunately forus, to maintain the level of quality we’re knownfor takes a lot of human involvement. A greatdeal of quality control. An enormous amount ofscrap. And that’s not even including theaccessories and packaging associated with afinished pair of Cocoons.

So what’s the advantage of all that expense?

6. Skin Deep: Best Practices for Choosing a fit-over Sunglass

It’s that we can stand behind Cocoons with alifetime warranty. The materials we use, albeitcostly, results in a product so resilient that it’salmost unbreakable. They’re well made enoughthat we know the chance of a pair failing isremote. The hands on manufacturing processallows us to catch any slight defect before theglasses ever make it out of the door.

And that’s important because fit-oversunglasses are treated horrifically by theirowners. They’re thrown in purses, sat on, drivenover (more often than you might think) and evenchewed by dogs. They slide facedown up anddown dashboards. They’re routinely left in carsto bake in 100° direct sunlight. Not to mentionthe people who like to keep their car keys in thesame case as their Cocoons.

So our warranty reiterates the durability andoverall quality of the glasses. But not allwarranties are the same.

Those big multi-nationals and even smallercompetitors of ours wouldn’t dare to dreamabout offering such an assurance. No other fit-over brand I know of warrantees the lenses tobe free from scratches for one year. In fact,almost all make it expressly clear that the lensesare not covered by a warranty.

But at least make sure you buy a fit-over thatwarrantees the chassis. At least a one yearguarantee as if a fit-over is made poorly, itusually breaks at the lower lens groove. I couldgo into a lengthy explanation as to why that isthe most prevalent type of defect, but it’s notreally of any benefit.

So make sure you buy a pair that have somesort of warranty because it’s a direct reflection ofthe manufacturers confidence in their product.

Page 12: Fit over eyewear - flash vs. function

Pricing

Here’s a fact that may shock you. The cost ofmaking a pair of Cocoons, which retail at about$50 is on average, four times as expensive as adesigner pair of plastic eyeglasses that mayretail for as much as $300.

You can find fit-over sunglasses in manydifferent market segments. There are $5 modelsoffered on the boardwalks, $10 models insouvenir shops. There’s $20 models available indiscount department and drug stores.

In the eyewear market you’ll find models offeredat prices from $35 to $60. So the price youshould expect to pay is directly associated withthe market you intend to buy in. The quality andfeatures generally increase as the price does.

But with a fit-over sunglass your decisionshouldn’t be based solely on price. Your choiceneeds to be heavily dependent upon value.What you’re getting back for your money.

6. Skin Deep: Best Practices for Choosing a fit-over Sunglass

If you’re spending $5 don’t expect all the bellsand whistles. Don’t assume the glasses aremade of the same material as a $50 pair.Understand that they’re going to be inferior. Thelenses probably aren’t polarized for example.Still, all things considered, they might be a gooddeal for $5.

If you’re considering a $50+ pair you shouldmake sure the glasses meet your expectations.There should be extra features, higher qualitycomponents and a warranty. You should begetting more bang for your buck. Thefundamentals, such as the undercarriage andadjustable temples should be a prerequisite.

On average, people lose their sunglasses aboutevery 2½ years. So if you are shelling out bigmoney, that’s another factor you shouldconsider. It’s likely that you’re going to losethem at some point.

Cocoons (circ. 2008)

MSRP $54.95

Page 13: Fit over eyewear - flash vs. function

In Closing

Unfortunately, the amount of counterfeiting ofpopular fit-over sunglasses has risendramatically over the past fifteen years.

For example, we have registered patents on allof our Cocoons models, but we come acrossdirect copies all the time. We do what we can toenforce our intellectual property rights, but it’slike herding cats. We’ll never be able to catchthem all.

The best way to avoid getting duped is to buyyour fit-over from a vendor recommended by themanufacturer. On our websites, we list onlinedealers you can buy Cocoons from and we havea dealer locator that shows all the accreditedbrick and mortar dealers in any specific region.

If you’re still not sure, you can buy directly froma manufacturer. We don’t support that type ofstrategy as it hurts sales that our authorizeddealers could of made. Although you can orderand purchase Cocoons on our website, theorder is actually shipped by an authorizeddealer in your area. We simply process thetransaction on their behalf.

If you ever have a question about fit-overproducts we’re only too happy to help. We’refamiliar with every brand and model of fit-oversunglass, not just our own. We can help you findretailers in over 30 countries or point you in theright direction regarding the repairs orreplacements of any brand.

All of our contact details are on our website:www.cocoonseyewear.com

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6. Skin Deep: Best Practices for Choosing a fit-over Sunglass

Cocoons (circ. 2011)

Model: Mini-Slim (Small)