To help you decide whether flip up or spring-fit clip on sunglasses would be a better choice for your requirements, here are the relative benefits of each type.

Sophisticated spring-fit clip on sunglasses

Appearance

Spring-fit clip on sunglasses are generally regarded as superior in terms of appearance. The fitting mechanism is neat and unobtrusive and when fitted to spectacles the overall appearance is not dissimilar to wearing prescription sunglasses. In comparison, flip-up sunglasses have a noticeable bracket and hinge mechanism at the top of the frames.

Comfort

For comfort, the spring-fit type of clip on sunglasses is generally regarded as preferable to the flip-up type. Some people find the clip attachments on the flip-up type can intrude slightly on their vision. Also the width between lenses on flip-ups tends to be narrower than on the spring-clip type so if your glasses have a wide nose bridge, you may notice the inner edge of the clip on lenses intrudes on the nose rests of your prescription frames.

Ease of fit

The best results with spring-fit clip on sunglasses are obtained if you can select a lens shape and size that corresponds closely to the appearance and dimensions of your prescription frames.

On the high street, the choice of sizes and shapes of clip-ons tends to be extremely limited even in high season. Fortunately, Eyewear Accessories has a choice of 70 different spring-fit models to suit most requirements.

Flip up sunglasses over plastic frames

However, spring-fit clip on sunglasses will not fit every prescription frame. If your glasses have lenses over 56 mm in width or less than 46 mm in width you will need to go for the flip up type.

If you have plastic spectacle frames with chunky rims that are over 4-5 mm thick, the flip up type of attachment is more suitable. This also applies if you have thick lenses over 5 mm thick.

If you are having difficulty finding a model of spring-fit sunglasses to fit your frames, the solution is to go for the flip-up type, where exact fitting is less critical.

When selecting flip-up sunglasses, you start by choosing the most appropriate shape for your prescription lenses and then check the measurements of the flip-ups against your frame. We recommend that you select a size of clip-ons with lenses at least 4 mm wider and deeper than your frames. Also check the width of your glasses to ensure that you select a model of flip-ups that will span them comfortably.

Eyewear Accessories have made the task of selecting the correct size of spring-fit sunglasses online as easy as possible by providing accurate size guides for each range. Before ordering, you simply print the relevant size guide for your chosen spring-fit shape and place your glasses face down on the outlines to see which size fits. We provide full guidance on the website and in our videos.

The flexibility to flip up the tinted lenses is an appeal of the clip-on flip-up type

Flexibility in use

The flip-up type of sunglasses has advantages in terms of flexibility for some applications.

Some people find them preferable for driving because you can flip up the tinted lenses easily if the sun goes in or you drive into a shaded area, and then can flip them down again when you need the filters to block the glare. The same flexibility appeals to some fishermen when fishing in variable light conditions.

The spring-fit type of clip on sunglasses are designed to be easy to attach and detach from your glasses but we would not recommend doing so while you are driving – you can’t do it safely one handed.

To increase the flexibility of spring-fit clip on sunglasses, we offer a range of 4 levels of tint. We recommend that you purchase a dark tinted pair for summer use and a lighter tint for winter use and on days when there is variable sun.

Cost and durability

On the high street, the cost of spring-fit and flip up sunglasses tends to be the same, typically at around £20, which normally includes a vinyl case. Online you can buy some very cheap flip-up sunglasses although the quality and durability may be questionable. At the other end of the price scale, Polaroid charge £32 for either the spring-fit or flip-up type of clip-ons.

Solarclips clip on sunglasses in the lined hard case

At Eyewear Accessories we sell the respected Solarclips range of spring-fit polarized clip on sunglasses for £21.99 which includes a luxury lined hard case. Our quality US-made flip up sunglasses are £16.99 including a case.

Retro style plastic spectacle frames are experiencing something of a comeback. If you have plastic spec frames, the rims tend to be thicker than many of the latest metal or rimless frames. As a result many of our customers are asking whether they can get clip on sunglasses to fit over them.

Flip up sunglasses over plastic frames

Generally, there is no problem fitting flip up sunglasses over thicker prescription frames, as the attachment can easily accommodate varying sizes. Our most popular flip up models for plastic frames include:

• large rectangle
• medium rectangle
• mirrored driver

Medium rectangle grey flip up sunglasses over shallower plastic frames

Mirrored copper drivers flip up sunglasses over tortoiseshell frames

Spring-loaded clip on sunglasses over plastic frames

If you prefer the spring-loaded bridge type of clip ons, you will find that our range of Solarclips can provide an excellent fit, provided that your prescription frames do not exceed 4-5 mm at the point that the retaining clips attach to them. If required, you can slightly tweak out the four clips to improve the fit over your glasses.

The most popular sprung-bridge models to fit over plastic frames include:

• Tru Rectangle 54 and 56
• Deep Rectangle 54 and 5

Tru Rec 56 clip on sunglasses over tortoiseshell plastic frames

Tru Rec 54 grey clipons over black plastic frames

If you are escaping the UK to a winter sun destination this season, don’t forget that the light levels and UV level will be much higher than you are used to.

It is important to protect your eyes from the glare that you will experience and we recommend that if you wear spectacles for distance or reading outdoors, then you take with you a pair well fitting polarized grey category 3 clip on sunglasses.

Category 3 lenses are available in all of the spring-clip and flip up type of polarized sunglasses in the Eyewear Accessories store.

Recently I had to buy a new pair of varifocals because my prescription had changed.

Even though I bought cheap frames, the cost still came to just under £250, which was a bit of a shock. I have been wearing Solarclips polarized clip-ons for the last 2 years whenever I needed sun protection and I’ve been pretty pleased with them.

However, this time I thought I’d look into the possibility of getting a second pair of prescription glasses with tinted lenses. After enquiring about the options, I realised that it was actually bettter to stay with the clip-ons. And here are my 5 reasons why…

1. Saving cost

If, like me, you wear varifocals, the cost of getting a second pair with tinted lenses is a costly exercise. For me, having several pairs of clipons is much less of an outlay.

2. Better performance

Solarclips clip-on sunglasses come with quality polarized lenses as standard and from experience I know that lenses with a polarizing filter in them makes all the difference for reducing glare from the sun (and reflected glare). In comparison, polarization of the prescription sunglasses was going to be a further cost which pushed them outside of my budget.

3. Greater flexibility

Drivers Pro Pack with three shades of polarized clip-on lenses

For much less than the cost of a single pair of prescription sunglasses, I was able to select 3 separate pairs of Solarclips, in a range of different polarized tints.

This will give me much greater flexibility during the course of the year, compared with a pair of prescription glasses with one fixed tint which may be too dark or too light in any given light conditions. With the Solarclips, I can choose whether to take the dark, medium, or light tinted clip-ons depending on the weather.

I should say at this point that I did consider whether a pair of photochromic light-reacting prescription glasses would be the most flexible option, but then I realised they wouldn’t react to light when I am driving because the windscreen would block the UV light. Having suitable eye protection when driving was one of my key requirements, so that ruled out the photochromic option.

4. Greater convenience.

The lined hard case with each pair of Solarclips is only 20mm deep and fits easily in a pocket

Because Solarclips clip-ons are so compact in their slim hard case, I can keep them in my pocket and put them on in seconds when the sun comes out. I also keep a pair of copper tinted ones in the glove pocket of my car so I am never without sun protection when I need it.

Much more convenient than either taking two pairs of prescription glasses around with you or making the decision before you go whether to wear the tinted or clear pair!

5. Solarclips look like you are wearing prescription sunglasses anyway!

So why spend more when they look this neat?

Solarclips clip-on sunglasses - hard to tell you're not wearing prescription sunglasses

Solarclips polarized yellow clip ons with high definition Perception lenses

With much of the UK and Europe this week experiencing overcast skies with damp, misty conditions, driving has been hazardous due to the poor visibility, especially when travelling at speed on motorways with the added problem of spray obsucring the road ahead.

It is in these conditions that wearing yellow polarized clip on lenses can most improve your vision while driving (in daytime). The yellow filter brightens your view and increases contrast and depth perception, while the anti-glare coating and polarizing lenses reduces headlight glare.

Find out more

Guide to clip on lens tints for driving

One of the questions that customers ask us quite often is whether the spring at the top of our Solarclips clip on sunglasses is designed to extend to accommodate wider frames. This is a actually a misconception.

The purpose of the spring is to enable you to stretch the clip-ons when attaching them to your frames. Once clipped to your glasses, the spring contracts again to provide sufficient tension to hold the clip-ons securely onto your frames.

One size does not fit all!

So it is not the case that one size of spring-loaded clip on sunglasses fits all frame sizes. That is why we have a range of sizes for each shape of spring-loaded clip-ons.

You simply use our size guides to determine which size is the correct one for your frames, by printing the relevant guide out at 100% (make sure that page scaling is set to none”) and then putting your glasses down on the outlines.

Close up of spring on clip on sunglasses

The outlines show each size of clip-on as it would be when fitted to your glasses, with the spring contracted.

Eyewear Accessories have a wide range of polarized clip on sunglasses to fit the shallower frames of many reading glasses.

Spring-loaded clip on sunglasses for reading glasses

One of the most popular models in our Solarclips spring-loaded range for reading glasses is the Slim Rectangle, illustrated below.

This model is available with a choice of polarized lens filters that are optimised for use in different strengths of sunlight, including grey category 3 – excellent for cutting the glare from the page of a book on bright sunny days, and copper category 2 for reading in moderate and variable sun.

Slim Rectangle clip on sunglasses are ideal for many shallow frames used in reading glasses

Flip-up sunglasses for reading glasses

If you prefer the flip-up type of clip-on sunglasses, a popular model for fitting to reading specs is the Tru Rectangle illustrated below, which has lenses 50 x 27 mm in size. It is available with grey, brown, or copper polarized lenses.

Shallow flip up sunglasses over reading glasses

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Every day we have messages from customers all over the world who say they are delighted to have found our Solarclips clip on sunglasses, because they have been so frustrated at having to pay for expensive tinted prescription glasses.

Because Solarclips fit so neatly over most spectacle frames, they can be hard to distinguish from prescription sunglasses, making them a serious alternative.

Solarclips clip on sunglasses - so neat you'd think they were prescription sunglasses

The cost of replacing prescription eyewear is particularly an issue for the increasing number of people who have varifocal lenses, special coatings on their glasses, or high index lenses. Each time your prescription changes, the cost of obtaining glasses plus a pair of prescription sunglasses can easily rise into hundreds of pounds. If your prescription changes regularly, perhaps due to a medical condition such as diabetes, the mounting expense is significant.

In contrast, our clip on sunglasses cost around a tenth of the prescription equivalent. What’s more, our products all have glare reducing polarized lenses, which would cost a significant premium if fitted to prescription sunglasses. Our clip on lenses also gives customers much greater flexibility in daily use:

• it is easily affordable to buy several pairs of clip on sunglasses, for example for your reading glasses and another for your distance glasses, or one pair for keeping at home and the other in the car for driving
• our cost-effective combination packs include three different tinted lenses for use in different light conditions throughout all seasons – simply clip on the lenses most suitable for the current weather
• Solarclips are supplied with a slim pocket clam case which is much more compact to carry around than a second pair of glasses
• Order your Solarclips from Eyewear Accessories in the UK and receive them the next working day – much faster than waiting for prescription glasses

With a product this good, no wonder why we have satisfied customers in the UK and 27 other countries worldwide!

For more information on our recession-beating alternative to prescription sunglasses, visit www.clipon-sunglasses.co.uk.

We have received very positive feedback from keen anglers about our polarized clip on fishing glasses and have recently focused on significantly increasing the range of polarized tints that we sell to optimise vision in different light conditions.

Polarized lenses for fishing in different light conditions

The latest addition to the range are the yellow polarized lenses, which combine light-enhancing properties that increase contrast in poor weather with the added benefit of polarization, helping you to see more clearly down to the bottom of shallow lakes and rivers.

The brownish yellow tint of the high spec Perception lenses is much more comfortable to wear than straight yellow, and vision is enhanced further by anti-reflective coatings on both sides of the lens.

Wide range of flip up polarized sunglasses

We also have a wide range of clip on flip up polarized sunglasses for those who prefer the flip-up design. All our popular models are available with polarized grey, brown, or copper lenses.

Brown polarized clip on lenses - great for enhancing grassy river or lake beds

Family business based in Devon

Based in Devon, Eyewear Accessories is a family firm with an excellent reputation for helping customers to find the products they need for particular applications. Contact us on 01392 431 292.

Drivers clip on sunglasses Pro pack has different lens tints for all seasons

If you drive regularly as most of us do, you will encounter a wide range of challenging light conditions that not only present a potential hazard because your view of the road ahead is compromised, but also result in driver fatigue and eye strain.

Just this week here in the South West, people who commute to work by car have faced misty conditions, particularly first thing in the morning, often on the same day as dazzling glare from the sun at low angle. Even today’s mainly cloudy conditions presents a challenge because visibility is flat and contrast is reduced, making it more difficult to judge distance accurately.

Eyewear Accessories has a wide range of polarized clip on sunglasses that provide a cost-effective solution for prescription wearers who have to drive throughout the year, whatever the weather.

We have different tints of spring-loaded polarized clip on sunglasses, enabling you to select whichever is appropriate for the current light conditions:

• Filter category 3 grey polarized lenses for driving in extremely bright conditions
• Filter category 2 copper polarized lenses for driving in moderately sunny and cloudy conditions
• Filter category 1 yellow light-enhancing polarized lenses for driving in low light conditions and poor visibility (not for night driving)

Our spring-fit clip on sunglasses are available in a range of shapes and sizes designed to fit neatly over the majority of modern spectacle frames.

For more information, visit this page of our website:

http://www.clipon-sunglasses.co.uk/polarized_clip_on_driving_sunglasses.html