These green shades have been all the rage since their creation hundreds of years ago, and for good reason! So popular among fashion-savvy individuals in society and those looking for a superior, 3D-like vision experience all year round, green-tinted sunglasses are the pair that’ll leave you wondering how you ever saw the world without them! 

Could they possibly replace your all-time favorite sunglasses? Who knows, keep reading to find out! 

Tinted Sunglasses: A Centuries-old Invention 

 

The true definition of timeless appeal.

Tinted glasses were first created in the 18th century by English designer James Ayscough and featured green and blue tints, with the belief that the vision of the wearer could actually improve due to these tints. And boy, it was such a brilliant creation! 

Fast forward to today, these gorgeous sunglasses have become a staple statement piece that can make your whole look with minimal effort. But the aesthetic appeal is only the cherry on top when it comes to benefitting from tinted glasses, as the main goal of donning those beauties is to enjoy a high-contrast vision experience and shield your eyes from damaging UV rays. 

Here’s a little bit of science: the tint on these sunglasses is meant to decrease diffraction coming from the surface of the lens and increase the number of light waves flowing through the lens instead of reflecting off it, eventually getting rid of any sight distortions and improving visibility.   

The coating that’s meant to protect the eyes is what actually makes the stunning colored tint visible when light comes into contact with the lens. Talk about dual benefits! 

Types of Tinted Sunglasses & Their Uses

 

Stating the obvious, the types of tinted sunglasses are categorized based on the color of the tint. Below are the most common colors you can choose from when picking your next tinted shades:  

Green 

You can’t go wrong with a green-tinted pair – an extremely popular and sought-after sunglasses color due to the maximum eye protection it offers, the refreshing feel of relaxation it provides, and that unmistakable stylish flair it adds to the entire look! 

Blue

This is another in-style color for those seeking to turn heads down the street. What’s more, blue-tinted sunglasses offer excellent performance on both hot sunny and cold snowy days, making them a year-round staple that is worth every cent spent on!

Purple

Are you after outstanding, 3D-like color perception? Purple-tinted lenses might be just what you need. But truth be told, they don’t make for the perfect pair in all conditions, although you can easily depend on purple pairs in snowy, cloudy, and hazy settings. 

Red/Rosy-Red

Calling all athletes and sports enthusiasts – red or rosy-red sunglasses will help you reach the top! These colors are absolute game-changers in any sports field, expanding the depth of field and enhancing details, reducing eye strain and eye fatigue, alleviating migraines and light sensitivity, and providing the wearer with much-needed clear vision.

Yellow/Orange/Gold: 

Unless you reside in a low to moderate-light area, these bright-colored sunglasses won’t do much for you. Other than that, you can rely on this trio to filter out blue light, provide you with good depth perception, enhance object details, and make everything all of a sudden look impressively vivid and colorful! 

Brown/Amber

Feeling depressed on these cloudy days of the year? A pair of brown or amber-tinted sunglasses have got you covered by providing a contrast with greenery and blue skies, ultimately reducing eye strain, brightening up your vision, and even improving sleep quality at night. It seems like they can quite literally make your day! 

Gray 

Water is where all fun things take place – from casual fishing to breathtaking snorkeling, freediving, paddleboarding, and more adventurous activities like surfing and jet skiing. But the splashy fun is never complete without reliable, anti-glare gray-tinted sunglasses, which mainly work on neutralizing your field of view and reducing eye strain from bright surfaces thanks to their cool tone that provides you with the optimal viewing experience. 

What Happens When You Choose the ‘Wrong’ Sunglasses?

Losing a basketball game with your pals, having a nasty car accident, or simply feeling grumpy when you walk outside, are only a few ‘side effects’ of wearing the wrong tinted sunglasses. 

It’s hard to resist getting your favorite color of sunglasses, understandable, but rushing into buying the prettiest and most expensive tinted sunglasses without considering other more important factors is setting yourself up for regret. 

These factors include the level of UV protection, the area you live in, your own lifestyle, and the time and places you plan to use your sunglasses in. As explained above, each color works wonders in improving vision and reducing eye fatigue only when used in the correct settings.  

Try to rebel against the ‘sacred rules of tinted sunglasses,’ and the outcome will not be in your favor, to say the least. 

The REAL Differences Between Colors of Tinted Sunglasses

Contrary to popular belief, the level of UV-blocking protection that sunglasses provide is not indicated by their color (myth busted!) 

In fact, the lenses of sunglasses are treated with UV-absorbing chemicals that often have no color whatsoever. Surprise, surprise, clear sunglasses can block UV rays as well as darker ones. 

This means that the only way to know for sure that a pair of sunglasses can protect you from damaging sunlight is to check the UV label. Ideally, you need to look for tinted sunglasses with a label that reads 100% UV protection, regardless of the lenses’ color. 

Additionally, not all colors of tinted sunglasses are meant for the same purpose – some of them perform well in both sunny and cloudy conditions, while others are designed specifically to improve vision and enhance details in certain settings, including snow, sea, and even just on the road. 

It boils down to which lens color you prefer on an aesthetic level, the amount of UV protection you’re aiming for, and where and when you intend to use your sunglasses. 

Are Green Tinted Sunglasses Better?

 

Absolutely YES! 

Among all other colors, green steals the spotlight as the most protective hue able to filter lots and lots of UV rays and blue light, thus it reigns supreme when it comes to protecting your eyes on scorching hot days and reducing eye strain coming from the brightest lights. But again, ensure the label reads ‘100% UV protection’!

A long sweaty run in the morning, an important sporting event, or going on one of the hardest hikes, you name it – put those green-tinted lenses on and go ahead and engage in fun outdoor activities like there’s no tomorrow!

Did you know? Wearing green-tinted glasses has been linked to less stress, more creativity, and an overall good mood! 

3 Best Tips for Buying Green-tinted Sunglasses

So, you’re impressed by the superpowers of green-tinted sunglasses but not quite sure what to look for? Don't sweat it!

When you’re looking out there for your next pair of frames, it’s important to be confident about your target that’s exactly right for you so you don’t feel like you got ripped off or duped into buying a pair that you really just didn’t like. 

First things first, you NEED to get a pair with 100% UV light protection (around 400 nm of light). Otherwise, you’re going to allow your pupil to dilate and get much larger, letting more harmful sunlight into your eyes and potentially developing retinal diseases.  

You also want to look for frames that fit snugly on both your ears and nose – not too loose, not too tight.  Finally, ensure the pair doesn’t feel uncomfortably heavy on the face and aim for a lightweight design to avoid the not-so-attractive marks.

Potential Side Effects of Green-tinted Sunglasses

Green-tinted sunglasses don’t harm the eyes per se, but darker lenses are generally harmful if they don’t provide adequate UV protection or if they allow UV rays to reach your eye from the sides. 

Another noteworthy fact is that a sunglasses label claiming to provide 100% UV protection does not guarantee blockage against all UV wavelengths. In fact, US-based manufacturers have the right to claim 100% UV protection for any lens absorbing UV rays with wavelengths of 380 nm, despite the fact that the range of these rays can extend up to 400 nm.

To be on the safe side, ensure that the lenses (no matter if they’re green or not) can block ultraviolet rays up to 400 nm. ‘There's no such thing as sunglasses that are too dark,’ says Tongalp H. Tezel, MD – the level of UV protection is what really counts. 

Can Everyone Wear Green-tinted Sunglasses?

The world would be a better place if everyone started wearing green-tinted sunglasses. Can they, though? The short answer is yes. Here’s the more detailed one… 

This lens color in particular offers supreme protection against blue light, significantly reduces glare and eye fatigue in bright light, provides high contrast and visual sharpness, and even alleviates pain-related anxiety and chronic pains. Not to mention that putting on a sleek pair of green-tinted sunglasses can instantly take your look from ordinary to EXTRAordinary! 

If the above-mentioned benefits are what you’re looking for when picking sunglasses, then green lenses are definitely for you. However, they won’t serve you the best in certain settings or while doing certain activities that require different lens colors. 

The Bottom Line

Green is one of the best (if not the best at all) shades to look for in tinted sunglasses, offering a detailed and dazzling view to the world, reducing eye strain and fatigue from UV rays and blue light, and even improving your overall mood and boosting creativity.  

You get what you pay for is very true with just about everything, but particularly with green sunglasses. So skip those cheap $5 pairs and look for the real deal that can offer you all of those great benefits. 

The perfect color of sunglasses? Up to debate. But what’s for sure is that rocking a fashion-forward green pair will leave everyone green with envy!