Obviously before you do anything, check to see if your sunglasses are still under warranty.  If so, then exercise your rights under the warranty rather than trying to repair sunglasses yourself, because doing so will invalidate the warranty.  But if your sunglasses are not under warranty, and they are expensive, it’s usually worth the time and effort necessary to try and fix them yourself (or for non-repairable damages, take your sunglasses to your local optician).

The video starts off by showing some of the supplies that you will need to repair the most common problems.  These include duct tape, needle nose pliers, an eyeglass repair kit (can be found at most drugstores), a few small rubber rings, some spare screws, a miniature flathead screwdriver, glue (super glue plus regular glue), wooden toothpicks, paper towels, clear nail polish and a metal staple.  You also might want to use a magnifying glass if you’re having trouble seeing when trying to repair sunglasses.

To repair an overstretched hinge attached to one of the arms, you will need to use the needle nose pliers.  Wrap the tips of the pliers in duct tape to avoid inadvertently scratching the lenses, and gently bend the hinge back into place as shown in the video.  If the hinge is still lose or “soft,” use one of the rubber rings to tighten the hold.

If a hinge or arm has broken off the frame, you can try and glue it back on.  Put a dab of super glue on the end of a toothpick and carefully apply it to the frame and hinge at the point of breakage.  Put the pieces together and hold for a few minutes, or until the glue has completely dried.  Make sure you check the lenses for glue, and wipe off any splotches with a paper towel immediately.  Make sure that everything bends normally after you are done.

If one or more screws have fallen out, replace them with the screws that will come with your eyeglass repair kit.  Once the screw is inserted, dab some clear nail polish over it to ensure a continuous strong fit.  If the screws don’t fit, instead try inserting a metal staple covered with glue into the screw hole, bending the staple around the hinge to hold it in place (no this is not particularly attractive, but perhaps it’s better than shelling out a couple hundred dollars for a new pair of designer sunglasses).

Finally, the video recommends saving your old sunglasses for spare parts.  This way, you’ll have a better shot of successfully repairing your sunglasses in the future.  And that is all there is to it!  So the next time your sunglasses get damaged, check the warranty, try to fix them yourself, or for major problems like warped screw holes, multiple breaks or heavily scratched lenses, take them to an optician for repair.  Whether you wear Neo sunglasses, Morpheus sunglasses, Oakley’s or Ray Ban’s, it’s definitely worth it to try and repair sunglasses before forking out money for a new pair!

The video starts out by describing the various tints available.  The first type shown is solid tint, which can be applied to just about every type of lens.  Solid tinted lenses, as the name implies, offers an evenly-distributed tint throughout the entire lens. Many people prefer solid tinted lenses because they are inexpensive yet effective.  The next type of lens shown is the gradient tinted lens.  Unlike solid tinting, gradient tinting is not evenly distributed across the lens.  Instead, these lenses are generally darker at the top and gradually get lighter toward the bottom.

The next type of sunglasses shown is those with photochromic lenses, which are sometimes known as transitional lenses.  They are clear when worn at night or within dimly-lit environments, but they darken up in bright sunshine.  This darkening is generally triggered by the UV rays of the sun.  The main downside of transitional lenses is that they are not effective while driving, as the vehicle’s windshield usually blocks most of the UV rays that otherwise would have triggered the darkening effect.  Another downside is that these lenses do not get as dark as regularly tinted lenses, and thus they may not work for people that are extremely sensitive to bright light.

The next type shown is polarized lenses.  This type of lens helps diffuse reflective light that bounces off of horizontal surfaces, and as such they are preferred by skiers, drivers, surfers, and fishermen, to name a few. The only real downside of this type – aside from the fact that they tend to be more expensive – is that the polarization can sometimes interfere with a driver’s ability to view dashboard LCD displays.

The final type discussed is “Drivewear” lenses, which as you might expect are specifically designed to be used while driving.  These lenses combine the benefits of polarization with photochromic lenses for maximum visual acuity while driving.  The lenses actually change color depending on the driving conditions.  For example, they turn green when it’s overcast, medium brown in bright conditions, and extra dark when in bright sunshine but NOT in the car.

So, I hope you enjoyed this quick tutorial on the various types of sunglass lenses available.  The bottom line is that no matter what your hobby or lifestyle, there is certain to be a style of sunglasses that will match your needs perfectly.

If you are interested in this, I’d suggest you watch the 6 minute video below.  If you don’t want to watch it, here’s a quick summary.  To do this you will need two 1.5 inch digital key chains (check eBay), some glittery foam paper, scissors, a glue gun, and of course a cheap pair of sunglasses (definitely NOT Matrix sunglasses though…I’d hate to see them doctored in this fashion!).  You should be able to get everything you need for $10-$15.

The first step is to remove the lenses from the sunglasses.  Then glue the digital key chains to the frame, where the lenses used to be.  Make sure that the power button on each digital key chain is toward the outside of the shades.  Next, cut the glittery foam paper into a rectangle, approximately half an inch larger than the perimeter of the frame.  The rectangle will have square holes where the lenses are, and you’ll also need to cut a nose groove in the center (check the video for the exact cut…it might be better to first cut a template in regular paper so you don’t waste the glittery paper if you mess up).  Then simply glue the glittery cutout onto the frame.

The next step is to create the sides along the arms that rest on your ears.  Cut the glittery paper into an L shape, and glue it to fit on one side, making sure that the paper does not extend to where your ear will be.  Then repeat this process for the other side.  The final step is to add your pictures to the digital key chains.  Read the instructions that come with the digital key chains to learn how to do this.  Upload whatever pictures you want for a highly customized look.

So that’s all there is to it!  The next time you have to dress up in a costume of some sort, this might be just what the doctor ordered.  You only need about $15 and 30 minutes of time, and you’re done.  Enjoy!

Basically, there are 2 types of lenses for sunglasses: glass and plastic.  Scratches on glass lenses are almost impossible to get rid of because these blemishes cut deep into the glass itself.  The only possibility of removing a scratch in this scenario is if the lenses are treated with a scratch-resistant coating.  If this is the case, applying some lens cleaning solution with a microfiber cloth might take care of the problem.  But if the lenses are not scratch resistant, you’ll be out of luck.  But the good news is that the vast majority of sunglass lenses in this day and age are made out of plastic.

For plastic lenses, the first step is to determine whether or not they are polarized.  Many sunglasses are labeled as polarized if they have this quality, but if not, you’ll need to do a little experiment.  Simply hold the sunglasses up to a light and slowly tilt them in various angles.  If you see colored patterns or reflections when you do this, then the lenses are polarized.  If they are indeed polarized, you can usually rub the scratches off with Armour Etch, which is a glass-etching abrasive solution.  Just make sure you wear latex gloves when using this product, and rinse it off with warm water when done.  Again, in order for this to work, your sunglasses MUST be polarized.  If not, you’ll ruin the lenses.

For plastic lenses that are not polarized, you can try a standard lens cleaning kit which can be purchased at your local optical store.  These kits contain a specialized type of polish specifically designed for plastic lenses, a micro-fiber cloth, and a few other add-ons.  Alternatively, lemon-scented Pledge furniture polish will work as well.

If the scratches are too deep, then none of these remedies will fix the problem.  In this case, your best bet would be to consult with a local optometrist.  He/she might be able to professionally repair the scratches, or replace the lenses altogether.  If all else fails, you’ll simply have to buy yourself a new pair of Neo sunglasses, Morpheus sunglasses or Twins sunglasses (apologies for the shameless plug…).

The bottom line is that if your sunglasses have plastic lenses – which they most likely do – then as long as the scratch is not too cavernous you should be able to make the repair.  Also, keep in mind that you should always carry your sunglasses in a hard case to reduce the odds of lens damage occurring in the first place. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

First off, the harmful UV rays of the sun during the winter months can be just as damaging to your eyes as the UV rays during the summer months.  In either case, overexposure can cause macular degeneration and cataracts, both of which can ultimately lead to blindness.  Yes there are fewer hours of daylight during winter, and the sun’s heat is obviously not nearly as intense, but this has little to do with the intensity of the UV rays.  No matter what the season, if you do not wear sunglasses outside during peak daylight hours, you are putting the health of your eyes at risk.

Additionally, certain activities that occur during the winter months can exasperate the risk.  Activities such as skiing and snowmobiling are harmful because the UV rays of the sun reflect off of the snow covered surfaces.  In fact, approximately 80% of the UV rays of the sun can bounce off of a snow or ice covered surface, which essentially doubles your exposure.  This is commonly known as “snow blindness.”  Additionally, high-altitude activities like skiing can exasperate the problem even further, because the higher up you go the more exposure you’ll be subjected to.  In fact, the intensity of UV rays increases roughly 16% for every thousand meters above sea level you go.

Therefore, you must always wear sunglasses offering 100% protection from the UV rays of the sun even in the winter.  Additionally, if you do a lot of skiing or snowboarding, you ought to consider sunglasses with polarized lenses, which help diffuse the impact of reflective light.  You might also wish to consider impact-resistant lenses for highly intense winter activities.

I hope you can now appreciate why sunglasses are just as important in the winter as they are in the summer.  In fact, if you like to participate in winter sports, wearing sunglasses might even be more important than wearing them in the summer.  So do yourself a favor and always wear sunglasses outside on sunny days no matter what time of the year it is.  And of course, have fun!

The first step is to diagnose the cause of the breakage by carefully inspecting the frame with a magnifying glass.  You might find a loose or missing screw, stretched out hinge, or some other broken or defective component.  Once you’ve identified the problem, you’ll be ready to move forward with the solution.

If the hinge is stretched out of shape, use a pair of needle-nosed pliers to gently squeeze it back into shape (you may want to wrap tape around the tips of the pliers to avoid inadvertently scratching the lenses while you do this). If the hinge has fallen off the frame, you can usually glue it back on with Super Glue or something equivalent.  The best way to do this is to apply the glue with a toothpick and hold it for 1-2 minutes until dry.

If you have a screw loose (no pun intended…), tighten it with a tiny screwdriver.  If you don’t have a screwdriver that is small enough, you can acquire one by purchasing an eyeglass repair kit at your local drug store, or you could tighten it with the needle-nosed pliers or even a paring knife.  If a screw is missing, any eyeglass repair kit will most likely have a replacement screw that you could use.  In either case, once the screw has been tightened, apply a small dab of nail polish on it and let it dry.  This will help keep the tightened screw secure.  If the screw is slightly too small you can wrap the threads in a 1-inch piece of fishing line to improve the fit.  But if the screw is too big do not force it – in this case, your best bet would be to utilize a tiny safety pin in lieu of an actual replacement screw.

As you can see, having a broken frame on your sunglasses does not mean they automatically have to go in the trash.  At least 50% of the time, depending on the cause, you can fix your broken frames very quickly and inexpensively.  Just follow the steps in this post and you’ll have a good shot of resurrecting your broken sunglasses in no time.  Good luck!

This really boils down to identifying one thing: whether you have a warm skin tone or a cool one.  How can you determine this?  Well, the best way is to go outside in the natural sunlight, and look at the underside of your forearm.  If your veins appear blue in the natural sunlight, then you most likely have a cool skin tone.  If your veins appear somewhat greenish, then you likely have a warm skin tone.

Once you’ve identified your specific skin tone, the next step is to select a pair of sunglasses with colors that will compliment your skin tone.  If you have a cool skin tone, you’ll want to pick frame or lens colors that are cooler, such as blue, purple, green, pink, plum, magenta, turquoise, silver and black.  Any one of these colors – whether on the lenses or the frame – will look excellent on cooler skin tones.  Most of our Matrix sunglasses – such as Neo Sunglasses, Trinity Sunglasses, Morpheus Sunglasses and Agent Smith Sunglasses – are black so they’d work extremely well with this skin tone.

Conversely, warm skin tones require warm colored sunglasses – for example, dark red, yellow, orange, gold, copper, brown, olive and off-white.  Here again, these colors can be represented on either the lenses or the frame, but for warmer skin tones the frame color is paramount.

If you need a visual representation of what I’m talking about, you’re in luck!  I found a great video that explains this in detail, and shows specific sunglasses for specific skin tones.  The video is only 2 minutes long, so if you have any interest in this at all, I’d recommend you give it a quick watch.  Enjoy!

Because your sunglasses rest on your nose, its shape and size will definitely impact the fit and the overall look of any sunglasses you wear. As such, it makes sense to consider your nose when shopping for new sunglasses (as well as facial shape, hair color, skin tone and gender).

If you have a large nose, you’ll want your sunglasses to minimize its perceived visual size. Therefore, you should opt for larger or oversized sunglasses. Additionally, thicker frames will help minimize your nose’s appearance. Wraparound sunglasses will also work well for big-nosed folk. Remember that size is relative, so large sunglasses will make your nose appear smaller than it really is, whereas small shades would make it appear larger.

If you have a small nose, the opposite is true; specifically, you’ll need sunglasses with smaller frames and lenses that will compliment, not dominate, your smaller nose. Plus, smaller shades tend to have smaller nose bridges which will fit better on small-nosed folk. Our Morpheus Sunglasses are an example of a style that will work well for small-nosed people.

Finally, if you have a long nose, you’ll need sunglasses that will make it appear stubbier. Shades that feature high side bars along with a lower nose bridge will help achieve the desired visual effect. The low nose bridge in particular is helpful, as it sits lower on your nose thereby facilitating a shorter appearance.

In the final analysis, whether your honker is large or small, long or short, your sunglasses can go a long way toward complimenting it for an ultra cool look. But the opposite is also true; if your shades are not appropriate for your nose, you risk looking foolish.  Just heed the advice in this post and you’ll be just fine. Good luck!

Obviously, when it comes to looking cool in your shades, the most important factor is the shape of the sunglasses relative to the shape of your face.  Simply put, some styles of sunglasses look great on certain facial shapes but lousy on others.  The video does a good job of actually showing this.  For example, the presenter has an oval shaped face, and when she puts on a pair of oversized square-shaped sunglasses, you can clearly see that they just do not look quite right.  Angular sunglasses – like Agent smith sunglasses or Neo sunglasses – would also look poor on someone with a square-shaped face because there are simply too many angles.  However, they would look perfect on someone with a round face. Rounder shaped shades, like Seraph sunglasses or Morpheus sunglasses, are better for square faces.

The next factor to consider is the color of the sunglasses.  Specifically, your sunglasses should compliment your skin tone (and in the case of women, your makeup and outfit as well).  As an example, the presenter has blonde hair, a light colored skin tone, light colored makeup & lipstick, and a darker outfit.  Thus, darker colored shades look better on her than lighter colored sunglasses.

The third consideration is the size of the sunglasses.  For women especially, oversized sunglasses are extremely trendy right now, but they must not be too big.  Specifically, the outer edges of the lenses must not extend beyond the edges of your face, they should line up with the sides of your face (unless you’re going for an alien or bug-eyed look!).

In the final analysis, it’s important to try on as many styles of sunglasses as you can in order to visually determine which style compliments you the best.  This is really the only way you can be 100% confident that your shades are the perfect style for your facial shape & size, skin tone, and overall personality.  Good luck and have fun!

There are several things you can try in order to prevent the indentations from happening in the first place.  Obviously, you can try and avoid wearing your shades continuously for hours on end.  Remove them for 5 minutes every half hour if possible.  Another thing you could try is adjusting the nose pads on your sunglasses.  For most shades, you can carefully push each pad slightly outward for a looser fit.  Another option would be to visit an optical store, and try on a few different styles and get expert advice to make sure your shades are the proper fit.  Also, if you are prone to indentations, you could try a smaller and/or lighter pair of glasses that don’t sit so heavily on your nose.

If you already have indentations on your nose and you need to conceal the damage as quickly as possible, there are a couple of things you can do.  One is to massage the indentations with your fingers, as this will help to accelerate the healing.  Another option is to cover the blemishes with makeup or a concealing agent that’s the same color as your skin (of course, this assumes that you’ve prepared in advance!).  You could also hydrate the area by wetting your finger and gently rubbing the spots, as some people believe moisture and hydration can help speed up the skin’s natural recovery process.

So, there you have it – everything you wanted to know about preventing and concealing nose indentations from sunglasses.  I hope you found this post to be both useful and informative.  And if you have any other suggestions for dealing with nose indentations, please drop me a comment below!