Correct, they are a fashion item. The point is to be seen wearing them, not to sit alone in your silent apartment with a nice headphone amp and concentrate on your music.
Do Oakleys block the sun better than $5 checkout counter sunglasses?
> Do Oakleys block the sun better than $5 checkout counter sunglasses?
Not all sunglasses, especially cheap sunglasses, block 100% of the UV spectrum. If sunglasses are just tinted but don't block UV light they're actually worse because the tint causes your pupil to dilate more than it otherwise would, allowing in more UV.
You won't find a pair of brand-name sunglasses like Oakleys or Ray Bans that don't block 100% of the UV spectrum.
That said, the lens quality between cheap and expensive sunglasses is significant. Clarity and contrast are improved with good lenses. They're noticeably worse with cheap ones.
Say the tint of your glasses reduces outdoor light levels to what would be comparable indoors. You'll see worse outside with your cheap sunglasses than you would indoors without. Cheap lenses distort. A good lens doesn't, and make things look sharper and better defined by increasing contrast, optimizing for desirable light wavelengths (e.g. yellow lenses when skiing in flat light), polarization to cut glare, etc.
Added bonus, sports-oriented glasses like Oakleys are shatter-proof. This is a significant consideration for me, as I participate in many outdoor sports where eye protection is mandatory.
Bottom line, price does make a significant difference in sunglasses.
I've been happy wearing safety glasses with tint. Unlike fashion glasses, safety glasses must adhere to ANSI z87.1 standards that test things like impact and UV protection.
Safety Works (used to be MSA) on Amazon are my go-to.
At this point, I only buy my sunglasses from the fishing aisle in the sporting goods section of Walmart. The Ugly Stik pair I got most recently is the best pair of sunglasses I've ever owned, and only cost about $10 (must have been on sale) - they are polarized and block glare great, are comfortable, and cover enough to work as safety glasses in a pinch.
All the brands you mentioned are owned by the same company, luxotica. Even some knock off brands (piranha and the like) are owned and manufactured by them.
I get your point, but sometimes those cheap sunglasses have poor UV protection which could end up being WORSE for your eyes than no sunglasses, since your eyes dilate when it gets darker, letting in more UV.
Oakleys are more scratch-resistant and comfortable than the checkout counter sunglasses. It's probably cheaper to just buy 15 pairs of the checkout counter sunglasses if you only care about durability.
I have a pair of Oakleys (Juliets I think) that are about 15 years old and must be on the fifth pair of lenses. Been hit directly by a dinghy boom more than once and survived fine.
Headphones on the other hand - I go through maybe 3 or 4 pairs a year so buy fairly cheap ones because I know they are going to be destroyed or lost.
Do Oakleys block the sun better than $5 checkout counter sunglasses?