5 Signs It's Time to Replace Your Sunglasses

Even good sunglasses have a lifespan. Here are five signs your pair isn't doing its job any more.

1. Scratched lenses. Scratches distort your view and make your eyes work harder to focus, which leads to strain and headaches. If you notice them in your line of sight, it's time.
2. Peeling or bubbling coatings. Mirror and other lens coatings wear out over time, especially with harsh cleaners or heat. Once they start lifting, clarity drops and the lenses won't perform like they used to.
3. Loose or bent frames. If your sunglasses keep slipping down your nose, sit crooked or the hinges wobble, they don't protect your eyes properly. A bent frame can also shift the lenses out of position.
4. Glare still bothers you. If you're squinting on the road or at the beach even with your sunglasses on, your lenses may not be polarised, or the polarised layer may be damaged. Here's what polarised lenses do.
5. You can't confirm the UV protection. Old, unbranded or market-stall pairs often make no UV claim at all. If you can't find a UV400 or 100% UV protection rating, don't trust them in strong sun. What UV400 means.

Make your next pair last longer: rinse before you wipe, clean with a microfibre cloth and keep them in a case and off the dashboard. Our full care guide.

Time for a new pair? Shop Ombrox polarised sunglasses.