If you’re a military troop stationed in the heart of the conflict in the Middle East, the last thing you’ll be thinking about is looking “cool” with a pair of fashionable sunglasses. Just finishing your tour of duty and returning home with your vision intact is enough! Military sunglasses are not made as fashion accessories; an essential part of a soldier’s gear is a good pair (or two) of sunglasses that helps to maintain sharp, clear vision, but also keep a troop’s eyes safe from blowing sand and shrapnel from exploded ordinance. Military sunglasses are as important to a pilot or ground soldier as their helmets and boots; simply put, they save lives.

The essential components of military sunglasses are that they reduce glare from the merciless desert sun or blinding snow with smoke-grey lenses, that they provide a snug, secure fit, that they are impact-resistant, and that they provide distortion-free vision. Military sunglasses are usually thicker than those found in civilian eyewear stores; along with anti-scratch and anti-fog coating, these sunglasses are meant to take a beating so that the soldier doesn’t have to! You can find your own in our sunglasses auction. The frames of military sunglasses are also a bit thicker and are more flexible in design to keep them from breaking if they’re rolled, sat or slept upon.

When military personnel deploy to a combat area, part of their out-processing includes an inspection of their gear, including military sunglasses. Newer models provide pop-out lens replacement in case a lens is damaged. In addition, military sunglasses should be designed to protect the soldier from harmful UBA/UBV rays that can cause eye damage. Soldiers who don’t normally wear glasses for vision correction must still wear protective eye gear.

Military sunglasses are such an important part of a deploying soldier’s gear, that if a First Sergeant inspects a soldier’s gear pack and doesn’t find protective sunglasses and/or goggles, he/she will be a most unhappy man or woman! Even though the soldier’s weapon is perfectly stowed, the inspecting First Sergeant is likely to bellow, “You can’t hit it if you can’t see it!” You can see our full selection in the shades store.

Pilots have special needs in their military sunglasses. They must not only have the perfect vision to hit their missile or bomb’s targets, but they also face intense sun glare at higher altitudes than the ground soldier. There is always the looming danger that a pilot will be shot down by enemy fire. In this case, military sunglasses must be sturdy enough to withstand ground impact and must also have shatter-resistant lenses, and must provide the pilot with accurate vision to determine his/her location and summon help.

Military sunglasses are not intended to create just another suave-looking face; they have specific requirements that often make the difference between a successful mission and a flag-draped coffin.

I admit it, I’m an Amazon junkie. I get a lot of what I need off the web, and Amazon is one of the best ecommerce sites out there. I was skeptical when I heard about Amazon Prime and their free trial. Two day shipping free- one day shipping for $3.99. Nope, that’s not a typo, for four bucks you can ship millions of eligible items (items Amazon stocks, as opposed to it’s partners) to your house. Free for a whole month. After that they bill you an ANNUAL fee of $79.
Here’s what Amazon has to say:

Amazon Prime members enjoy the following benefits:
Fast Delivery
• Unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items
• Upgrades to One-Day (Overnight) Shipping for just $3.99 per item

Simple Shopping
• No minimum purchase required
• Members-only 1-Click buttons on product pages
• No need to think about shipping charges

Convenient Sharing
• Members can share benefits with up to four family members living in the same household

Free Trial
• Amazon Prime new subscribers are invited to try Amazon Prime free, for one month.
After the Free Trial period, customers will be automatically charged the $79 annual fee unless they choose not to upgrade to regular annual memberships at or before the end of the trial period.

So I signed up for the free month, figured I’d order a few things and then cancel. Well the membership paid for itself when I ordered a big piece of exercise equipment. I paid an additional $4 for next day service, figuring I’d get an email explaining I couldn’t do that. Nope, next day it showed up on my doorstep. Suddenly I was able to expect 2 day delivery for free. I find myself upgrading to next day service quite a bit, it’s just nice to have what I need exactly when I want it. A month goes by, I did some math and my shipping last year was already over what a prime membership costs- so I took the plunge. I’ve been happily ordering for months- if you regularly order from Amazon it’s worth your time to take a close look at Amazon Prime.

If you remember the song, ZZ Top advised listeners to “get yourself a pair of cheap sunglasses.” This is good advice if you’re really hard on your shades, like sitting on them, stuffing them in your jeans pocket, or leaving them to bake on your car dashboard. But today’s sunglasses have come a long way from aviator and cat’s eye styles. The Great Sunglasses Revolution began with Tom Cruise’s “Risky Business” Ray-Bans two decades ago, and gained speed with the “Men in Black” movies where Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones were so smooth in their black “Panthers,” also made by Ray-Ban. These sunglasses styles are still around and in great demand, selling on eBay for hundreds of dollars!

Visit a mid to high-level optician’s office and you’re sure to find sunglasses made by Dior, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Maui Jim, Tommy Hilfiger, Versace, Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Sophia Lauren, and many other uber-sophisticated designers. These classy-looking sunglasses can cost up to $400 for the frames alone. If you’re merely seeking a designer brand, you should be prepared to pay the price. However, these high-priced sunglasses aren’t merely attractive in design, but are most often made with hand-crafted precision and superior-quality materials. Unlike cheaper sunglasses these designer frames can last for years if cared for properly; you can change your lenses if your eyesight changes.

In design, you have many choices with both discount and designer sunglasses. Frames can be metal, plastic, even wood. The aviator style is still very popular among men, while more and more women are choosing rectangular turtle-shell – real or faux – frames. But in addition to choosing a “cool” design, sunglasses can be serious business for some, an issue that supersedes looking stylish.

Millions of people have problems with glare from many sources, ranging from computer screens to asphalt highways, to sunlight. Sunglasses that have not been specially treated to reduce glare for the wearer can cause eye damage and vehicular accidents. For example, the coastal states of Florida and California’s Highway Patrol divisions attribute as many as 14% of fatal car wrecks as being glare-related. Similarly, the Rocky Mountain states of Montana, Utah and Colorado attribute many auto wrecks and ski fatalities to glare from the sunlight on the snowpacks. Glare-treated sunglasses could save your life and/or the lives of others!

The second issue related to sunglasses for drivers is bifocal and/or distant sight. If you wear regular bifocal glasses, it’s advisable to consult your optician about your eyesight driving needs. Most prescription driving sunglasses are “distance” lenses, or single-vision rather than bifocals that the wearer needs when they’re not driving. Thus, you may need both “distance” sunglasses and bifocal regular glasses.

Whatever you vision needs, you are certain to find sunglasses that are stylish, functional, and durable within your price range.

Sunglasses, a top fashion accessory, are second only to shoes, according to authorities at the Sunglass Association of America, who predict that the "Class of 2008" sunglasses offer a wider range of styles - from classic, to sport-chic, to la femme romantique - and are packed with new features that enhance all-day comfort and optimize eye protection.

And, what's more, consumers will find sunglasses to compliment a wide range of facial shapes and meet the needs of every budget, from hundreds of dollars to well under $30.

"The fun and fashion appeal of this year's sunglasses is standard equipment on styles worn for pure glamour, easy-going leisure lounging, or extreme weekend warrior pursuits," says Dave Bibbey who, in addition to his duties as SAA president, is vice president of product supply for Zoom Eyeworks, based in Berkeley, Calif. Read the full story here.

Whitney Matheson at Pop Candy has a list of the coolest shades and sunglasses in the movies. After all these years I still think Terminator was the best- although Top Gun had some good ones too... Here's the list...

10. Men in Black

9. Midnight Run

8. Blade

7. Cool Hand Luke

6. Top Gun

5. Reservoir Dogs

4. The Matrix

3. Risky Business

2. The Terminator

1. Blues Brothers