Where can I obtain SOLA SUNLENS products?

Currently SOLA SUNLENS only provides our lens products to sunglass brands and manufacturers.

NEW!! SOLA Optical USA is now providing a limited range of our most popular plano sunglass lens products in CR, Polycarbonate and Polarized.

Brands and Manufacturers: See Contacts

Retailers, wholesalers and distributors: Contact SOLA Optical USA at 1-800-555-7652

SOLA OPTICAL ITALIA S.p.A. Marketing&Sales; Service 800/258327 www.solaoptical.com

SOLA OPTICAL S.A. (France) Direction Ventes Tél.+33.01.56.70.52.14 www.sola-optical.fr

 

What is UV?

UV (Ultraviolet Radiation) consists of the short, invisible rays from the sun that reach the earth's surface. These rays contain three separate bands: UVA (315-380 nm), UVB (290-315 nm) and UVC (100-290 nm). UVC rays are absorbed by the earth's atmosphere and do not reach the earth's surface and therefore do not relate to sunglass performance. UVB rays are the "sunburn" rays. Exposure to UVB rays can potentially produce harmful effects to your eyes and may be associated with cataracts and retinal damage. UVA rays are mostly absorbed within the lens of the human eye, debate over the potential effects of UVA exposure continues within the industry. Sunglass standards place limits on UVA and UVB exposure. UV radiation is strongest at high altitudes, low latitudes and in open or reflective environments (sand, snow or water).

Do all SOLA SUNLENS products feature UV protection?

Yes, all SOLA SUNLENS products meet global UV standards. Please contact your Sunlens Representative for further details and lens specifics.

Can SOLA SUNLENS produce custom colors or specific performance lenses?

Yes, our new Product Development Center at our Varese, Italy facility has the capability of matching or creating virtually any color imaginable. We are currently working within the fashion industry through our connections with the textile, leather and optical plastic producers to create the latest "ahead of the trend" fashion color collections for each season. Additionally we can provide University related R&D; for spectral technology to create performance tints and transmission curves, even in polycarbonate!

Are all SOLA SUNLENS products impact resistant?

Yes, SOLA SUNLENS products are made in hard resin and polycarbonate to meet or exceed ANSI standards for impact resistance. Our Polycarbonate lens series - Tough Eyes™ are highly impact resistant, up to 10 times more impact resistant than glass and hard resin.

Does SOLA SUNLENS make prescription sunglass lenses?

No, all of SUNLENS products currently are plano (non-prescription).

NEW!! SOLA Technologies, SOLA's high tech optical laboratory, will be offering limited, specialized prescription sunglass products. (See Sun Optics)

Coming SOON - watch for Optics by SOLA™ performance sunglass prescription lenses appearing in many of our branded customers sunglass styles, available in optical retailers and specialty shops.

Are the lenses SOLA SUNLENS produces of the same quality as SOLA Optical prescription lenses?

Yes, SOLA SUNLENS uses the same optical quality hard resin and polycarbonate materials as our ophthalmic lenses, providing true optical grade visual performance in all of our products.

Are all the SOLA SUNLENS products scratch resistant?

TOUGH EYES™ and GLARE OUT II™ polycarbonate and ROCK HARD™ hard resin lenses have an applied scratch coating. Our UV Gard™ hard resin lenses, although not scratch coated, provide better than average scratch resistance for uncoated product. TOUGH EYES™ and ROCK HARD™ incorporate the industries highest rated scratch resistant protection.

To what standards are sunglass lenses measured? (See Specifications: International Norms)

Sunglass lenses must meet the requirements of the standards listed below:

• European Norms - EN 1836-1997
• American Standards - ANSI Z80.3 - 1996
• Australian Standards - AS 1067.1 - 1990
• Canadian Standards - CSA Z94.5 - 1995

Spectral Transmittance EN and ANSI shall be > 8% for all the norms.
EN also spectral transmittance between 500 nm to 650 nm > 0,2 x tv.

Recognition of Signal Lights:

EN 1836		ANSI Z80.3
Relative visual attentuation quotient Q		Traffic Signal Transmittance
> 0,80 RED signal light		> 8% RED signal
> 0,80 YELLOW signal light		> 6% YELLOW signal
> 0,60 GREEN signal light		> 6% GREEN signal
> 0,40 BLUE signal light		Fulfill the color limit region

For Luminous Transmission:

Ratio of visible light transmitted by the filter between 380 nm to 780 nm.

Different measuring methods are used by different Standards.

EN1836 1997		ANSI Z80.3 1996 - CSA Z94.5 -95		AS1067.1 1990
tv	Filter Category	tv	Primary Function	tv	Primary Function
80 - 100%	0	> 40%	Cosmetic lens or shield, light	> 50%	Fashion spectacles
43 - 80%	1	8 - 40%	General purpose lens or shield, medium to dark	8 - 50%	General purpose sunglasses
18 - 43%	2	3-8%	Special* purpose lens or shield, very dark	3 - 25%	Specific purpose sunglasses type (a)
8 - 18%	3	> 3%	Special* purpose lens or shield, strongly color	> 3%	Specific purpose sunglasses type (b)
3 - 8%	4		* Does not meet the requirements of transmittance properties related to traffic	Type (a)	For protection against very intense sun glare
				Type (b)	For protection against UV radiation in sunlight for specified

Why do 8 base and higher wrapped frames need decentered lenses? (See Specifications: Decentration)

Wrapped, steep base frames, require a lens where the optical center is off set (decentration) to accommodate for off axis and prismatic errors that occurring when viewing objects through a highly curved surface. In order to comply with International Standards for optical performance, decentered lenses must be used in wrapped frames.

Are the designations CR and Hard Resin for the same product?

Generally speaking yes. Both CR-39™ (A registered trademark mark of PPG, which stands for Columbia Resin's 39th version of the formula) and Hard Resin (the generic term for standard plastic lenses) are made of a clear, water like liquid (diethleneglycol - allycarbonate) that are part of the thermosetting family of resins. In order to turn into lenses, the resin must be poured into a glass mold and than cured or polymerized in an oven and the resin hardens. Many companies have there own formulations and processes (including SOLA- UV GARD) to make Hard Resin lenses.

How is polycarbonate different from CR-39™?

Polycarbonate is a tough, dimensionally stable, thermoplastic, while Hard Resin is a thermoset polymer. Also know by the trademarked GE name of LEXAN™, polycarbonate is processed by injection molding. Polycarbonate pellets are heated, injected into stainless steel molds under pressure and compressed to from a lens. All polycarbonate lenses must be scratch coated, as the uncoated material is susceptible to abrasion.

Polycarbonate is lighter in weight and more impact resistant than Hard Resin. Hard Resin tends to be easier to edge and can be tinted (dyed) to a wider variety of lens colors.

What is the difference between "Bent Sheet" and "Injected" Polarized Polycarbonate?

Bent Sheet (thermoformed) polarized polycarbonate lenses are made by placing polarized film between two thin, flat sheets of polycarbonate material. A lens is formed by cutting out a particular size from the sheet and then heating the lens on a bending tool to achieve the required base curve (thermoforming). Injected polarized polycarbonate lenses are made essentially the same as standard polycarbonate lenses (injection molding) with the introduction of the polarizing film in the lens mold, instead of lamination. The result is the injected lens provides superior Class 1 optical performance with the film as part of the finished lens.

How does SOLA SUNLENS select the colors for their fashion collections? Are they truly in advance of coming fashion?

SOLA SUNLENS works with reputable fashion houses, top color anaylsists and leading textile designers to select the upcoming seasonal colors a year or more in advance. The collections and colors we feature follow the rest of the world of fashion as predicted by trend forecasters - providing our customers the opportunity to stay far ahead of the competition by determining styles and colors before others.

Does SOLA offer a lens that is more compatible for the newer rimless mountings?

Yes, SOLA SUNLENS has just introduced FLEX-EYES™, a new flexible, acetate resistant product that provides superior scratch and impact resistance. FLEX-EYES™ is less susceptible to cracking and crazing than CR and poly, which makes it ideal for all types of rimless frames. In addition FLEX-EYES™ is resistance to potential migration problems when using acetate frames.