Having a few friends who work in the medical field is pretty neat. They always have amazing stories to tell about wacky patients, always get great writing utensils from pharmaceutical companies and are never shy about asserting their medical advice whenever necessary. This Christmas, for example, my doctor friend gave everyone in her family polarized sunglasses. Of course, I asked, “why did you choose polarized glasses?”

She replied, something along the lines of, “polarized lenses are made with a chemical film that reduces glare from the sun. When that glare is neutralized, the lenses are easier to see out of on sunny days and it significantly reduces the effects of UV rays.”

I decided to take my inquiry a bit further. Why is eye protection so important to powersports riders?

Wind Defense

First of all, a thin barrier of glass or plastic can save your customers’ eyes from significant damage from wind, dirt, dust, mud and anything nature decides to throw at them. Even if your customers have perfect vision, the force of the wind becomes an obstacle if there is no barrier between their eyes and the oncoming air.

Ultra Violet Protection

Everyone knows that looking into the sun is dangerous. You’re probably imagining a cartoon character looking into the sun and their eyes shrivel right up. Although sun damage isn’t as dramatic as it is in cartoons, eye protection from the elements is a very important part in staying healthy and UV exposure to the eyes is just as dangerous as it is to the skin.

There are a few options available for supreme UV protection and polarized lenses are one. The second would be eyewear labeled with “UV400” or “100% UV Protection.” These identifiers offer complete protection by blocking 100 percent of UVB and UVA radiation.

Fitting and Styling

Of course, there are hundreds and thousands of varieties of glasses, goggles and eyewear that can fit anyone’s personal style. It is important to remember that when riding powersports vehicles, the right fit is just as important, if not more important, than how they look.

I’d like to assume that all of your customers are wearing helmets, regardless of the state laws that might differ from what medical professionals would recommend. Make sure to offer a variety of goggles that securely fit to helmets, avoiding the “goggle gap” or offer helmets that allow for glasses to be worn and fit inside of the padding.

Impact Protection

Without a doubt, your eyewear is going to take a beating as opposed to a pair of reading glasses you occasionally wear indoors. Several types of glasses and goggles offer ANSI (American National Standards Institute) ratings of impact protection. These standards prevent shattering and offer optimum safety, durability and protection for the wearer.

No matter what your customers are looking for, giving them a plethora of options will help them find exactly what they need to protect their eyes.