Do you know exactly how bad the sun is for your eyes? I had a bit of a shock when I went to visit my optometrist. I’m only 23, but I’ve got the beginnings of cataracts. He asked me if I wear polarized sunglasses. I don’t, but apparently I should, especially since I’m an avid snowboarder. When the eyes are exposed to UV rays, they increase their chances of developing cataracts, and those rays become particularly volatile when they bounce off highly reflective materials, like snow. I’ve been boarding since I was a child, and I guess that’s part of the problem. Polarized sunglasses, which protect the eyes from UV rays, are especially important for children whose eyes are sensitive and still developing.
Here’s the thing. I do wear sunglasses, just not polarized ones, and I just got this amazing pair of Oakleys that I’m over the moon for. They were $150, though, and I can’t say I was enthusiastic about giving them up AND having to spend another $150 on new, polarized sunglasses. Turns out, though, that you can order Oakley replacement lenses from aftermarket providers that fit your designer sunglasses and that are polarized. Done and done. I should note that the company itself does Oakley lenses replacement, but it’s mad expensive. Hence the aftermarket provider.
Anyway, installing the Oakley replacement lenses was really easy. I just had to remove the screws, pop out the old lenses, pop in the new ones, and tighten the screws back up. All in all, it was a pretty simple process, so I decided to order a pair of lenses for my boyfriend’s sunglasses, too. I didn’t account for the difference in frames, though. Mine were metal, so it was pretty easy to switch out the lenses. His Oakley replacement lenses had to fit into molded plastic frames, though, and that was an adventure.
We used a hair dryer to heat the frames up, but it took a long time for them to become a little pliable. The first lens came out pretty easily, but the other one was being stubborn, so we ended up just breaking it with a small mallet. Getting the new lenses in was a trick in and of itself. Another five minutes with the hair dryer got the frames to the point where we could pop in the new lenses, but only with some coercion. Replacing Oakley lenses wasn’t the easiest thing I’ve ever done, but it was worth doing.
I still don’t know if I’ll be able to make the cataracts go away, but I’m glad to know that I’m at least protecting my eyes better for the future. My new lenses look great, and they do great things for my eyes, so it’s a win all around! More like this blog: www.thesunglassfix.com.au
