The hole in the ozone layer is growing bigger. Melting polar ice caps aside, it's getting hotter and brighter all around. A person becomes hard pressed to protect oneself and one's family from the harmful effects of the oppressive sun. Our entire bodies are vulnerable, but no body part is more vulnerable to high temperatures and direct contact with sunlight as our eyes. There are a couple of great ways to protect your eyes, such as eyedrops, visors, and of course - transition sunglasses.

Sunglasses are a staple wardrobe in sunny weather, of course, but why transition sunglasses especially? What are the additional benefits that places them a cut above other kinds of shades? Are they, in fact, better than other types of sunglasses? Actually, they are just one kind of sunglasses, with a twist - you can use them indoors and outdoors without sacrificing much of your clarity of vision.

You must have heard the song, or at least the phrase, "I wear my sunglasses at night." In spite of the kitsch, this phrase may well have a grain of truth in it. You can, in fact, wear sunglasses at night if they happen to be transition. The term "transition" refers to the specially crafted lenses that diffuse light. This quality of the lenses allows them to regulate and equalize the amount of light that reaches your eyes, making sure your eyes aren't strained by the glare of the lighting, in case you are outdoors or in a very well-lit indoor environment. Regarding nighttime or dimly-lit rooms, however, these special lenses do not exactly equalize the light in the room. Rather, it tones down its anti-glare properties, and enables you to see better than if you were using regular dark-tinted shades.

Sounds like magic, doesn't it? For the kind of glare protection allowed by shades like these, they are well worth the price you pay. Indeed, transition sunglasses tend to be slightly more expensive than regular shades. But unlike other kinds of sunglasses, they can be used in a wider variety of situations and settings. And if they happen to come with wraparound frames that fit snugly on your face and physically keep your eyes safe from direct exposure to irritant lighting. This problem with the ozone layer may continue to affect us for a long time, worsening with each year, if nothing is done about it. In the meantime, it is best to be conscious about your surroundings and your health.