I get sunglasses from my opticians now as I wear varifocals.
I read a lot on holiday so single vision are no good.
Before I wore glasses i always used to buy poloroid sunglasses as they cut out the glare of the sun.

Cheap for me unless they are for sports as I always loose them

I'm sorry if you got the wrong impression as to me posting about sunglasses, I didn't mean for it to come across so "stuck up" if that's the correct word. I've never in my life worn sunglasses at night but yes, I was talking about falling apart. My ex partner had a pair of Oakley sunglasses and they lasted him 5 years+ (until he lost them :que) where as mine go wonky or crack in the sun so I thought I may be better of getting a decent, expensive pair that are probably made better and more stable.

A very upset CourtneeLouise.

CourtneeLouise

I wear prescription lenses so it doesn't apply to me but my OH wears normal sunglasses and has a few pairs. He won't buy the really cheap ones as he says that they usually fall apart after a short time, but buys ones that are more costly , usually from Boots or another optician. He won't spend an absolute fortune to get real designer ones but the ones he does buy are a lot better made than the cheap flimsy ones such as you will buy in Primark. He does as Jay mentions buy Polaroids to cut out the glare. It must be at least 3 years since he bought his last pair and they are still going strong and he wears them the whole year round. I think that if you only need them for a short holiday once or twice each year then the cheap ones are adequate but for more extended wear then it's better to buy something a bit more substantial.

I usually pay about £10 for a pair or wait until they are in the sales,I've got about 6 pairs as I have to keep some in each car and in my favourite bags,my eyes water if its sunny so have to have some with me all the time.
I don't think you came across as stuck up,more as asking whether more expensive glasses will last longer than cheaper ones,I think it depends how careful you are with them,they should be better quality though.

Cheap sunglasses rarely offer the level of UV protection that 'proper' sunglasses give. True they may give some UV protection but in the main they just block the light meaning your iris open to allow more light in thereby allowing UV light into your eyes. Over time this will cause damage to your retina.

Someone suggested to me that if you buy cheap sunglasses paint the tiny screw heads with clear nail varnish to stop the screws coming adrift.

AHV may have a good point about cheap ones. But that doesn't automatically mean expensive ones are any better, you may be paying for the label. If you are buying them within Europe the key thing is that they comply with standard EN1836:2005 (prescription lens and sports goggles are covered by other standards). If they don't mention that then they are just fashion accessories. One thing that this standard also covers is colour shift which is important if you drive in them, you don't want traffic lights to appear in the wrong colour!!

Up until about 5 years ago, I bought a cheap pair every year from Primark or New look, until I invested in a pair from Radley Sunglasses in the sale, I only got them because they were £29 reduced from £80 and because I love the brand, but later found that all radley sunglasses offer 100%UV protection. I wear prescription glasses mainly because my eyes let too much light in so good sunglasses are essential for me.

I have cheap ones, expensive ones (well over £25) and last year for the first time I chose re-actolite prescription ones for reading.
I tend to wear the cheaper ones if I am on the beach, and my more expensive ones if I am out and about sightseeing.
At home I have a pair in the car and a couple of pairs in different bags.

It's realy important that you get sunglasses that protect your eyes from UVA, the damage you can do to your eyes doesn't show u until later in life so invest in a pair that says on the label they protect from UVA and these will not be the cheap ones you buy in fashion shops. Invest some money, as it will protect your health.

I invested in a pair from Radley Sunglasses in the sale, I only got them because they were £29 reduced from £80 and because I love the brand, but later found that all radley sunglasses offer 100%UV protection. I wear prescription glasses

So do you have prescription lenses in your radley sunglasses or do you only use them for lying in the sun? I have designer reactolite polaroid prescription glasses (not advertised as sunglasses, as such) which I wear every day all year, including whilst sunbathing on holiday.

I have prescription glasses for reading, a decent pair from Boots, for lying in the sun & yes even in the pool, as I can't cope with any glare. I do however have a cheap pair with a little bit of glitz, which I wear on my way out in the evening when the sun is going down.

Oakleys all the way for hubby and I. I used to buy cheap until meeting hubby, then he introduced me to Oakleys. I though he was crazy spending that much on glasses until I tried on a pair. I'm on my second pair in 8 years and they're still going strong so they last really well

Years ago on the advice of my then optician I bought a pair of Rayban 'Wayfarers' on the grounds that they would offer the best available protection at the time re developing cataracts (a family trait) and long before their vintage styling became trendy. They are still going strong and over the years have probably worked out much cheaper than buying cheap ones more frequently. They are now much coveted by my nieces but I'm not ready to part with them yet even though I do now have to wear prescription lenses for reading and have varifocals with both reactolite and permanently tinted lenses. But nothing says 'holiday' more strongly than getting out the Raybans and packing them in the case ready for swanning around the pool or in the the sea because I would hate to lose the expensive varifocals whilst swimming off the beach. Not only that - I can't read without them anymore
SM

The problem with me is that I have to wear glasses all the time so non prescription sunglasses are a definite no. I have wondered at times if I should buy prescription 'sunglasses' for holidays or continue to wear my reactolite specs. I concluded that it would mean me having to walk around with 2 pairs because whenever I went indoors I'd have to take off my sunglasses and put on my reactolite specs

I mainly buy cheap sunglasses for the main reason that I always break them (usually end up sitting on them) I have though got some mid price nike sports sunglasses that I'll use this summer.
I wonder if the designer sunglasses seem to last longer because we take a lot more care of them.
I know if I'd paid £50 + on sunglasses I wouldn't just throw them on the lounger/sand etc like a cheap pair!
My wife thinks I'm a bit mad cos I take about 5 pairs away with us but usually bring only one or two back as I break them!
On a side note, I tend to like the very dark or mirrored ones as you don't get caught checking out the ladies so much!!!

I know if I'd paid £50 + on sunglasses I wouldn't just throw them on the lounger/sand etc like a cheap pair!

I think that is definitely a factor but also if I compare the Raybans to cheaper ones they do feel and look much more sturdy too. Mine are old enough to have glass rather plastic lenses in them. Also, it was possible to get them repaired when one of the lenses dropped out - a case of a loose screw which the optician replaced quickly and inexpensively. I perhaps wouldn't have bothered even checking whether a cheaper pair could have been repaired and would simply have thrown them away and got a new pair which might be another factor in their longevity.

SM