Vision is key when shooting which is why it's important to protect your eyes with a pair of protective shooting glasses. There are many different types of
shooting glasses and just as many variables to consider before selecting a pair of safety glasses. Some things to keep in mind before choosing eye protection are: lens material, impact resistance, UV protection and lens color.
Lens material is one of the most important aspects of protective eyewear because each material has different strengths and weaknesses. There are three main
materials that are most commonly used in today's shooting glasses: crown glass, CR39 plastic, and polycarbonate. Of these, polycarbonate is by far the best. It offers the highest available impact rating and provides excellent UV protection. Polycarbonate is a type of lexan plexiglass, which is a thermoplastic made by General Electric. In fact, it's the same material that bullet resistant glass in cars is made out of.
The tint of your shooting glasses is another area that can vary greatly from one pair of glasses to the next. Smoke, gray, and gray-green are the most common tint options for a shooting lens as they block glare without changing color perception while gray is neutral, allowing the wearer to see all colors as they truly are. Amber or brown tinted lenses are especially good at blocking the type of blue light you may see on a cloudy day and it can also improve your depth perception and contrast.
Yellow or orange lenses can also improve contrast and give you a heightened sense of visual sharpness. When it comes to yellow lenses, the brighter the yellow, the better it is for night use. Orangish-red or vermilion lenses are good for enhancing the orangeness of a target and make an orange target really stand out against a dark background, like the shadows of tall trees.
If you enjoy shooting, it's important to keep all of these variables in mind and be sure to find a set of protective lenses that are right for you.