Since introducing its first pair of sunglasses in 1984, Oakley has carved out a reputation as one of the world’s top sports performance brands. Known today as a leader in innovative eyewear, the California-based brand is beloved by world-class athletes for its groundbreaking engineering, creative range of styles and unrivaled lens technology.
Oakley’s eyewear offerings run the gamut from everyday glasses to polarized sunglasses designed for specific outdoor sports, such as fishing and cycling. Oakley also makes a range of prescription lenses using proprietary technology customized to suit a broad range of vision and lifestyle needs.
As for price, you’ll find affordable mid-range options that don’t skimp on quality, as well as more expensive alternatives favored by famous athletes that feature highly specific technology and customizable elements.
If you’re looking to buy Oakley sunglasses without spending a lot of money, you’ll be happy to know that even a pair of used Oakley sunglasses can prove a better purchase than a brand new pair of sunglasses by a competitor. Oakley’s products are all built to function well even after years of use under extreme conditions.
Knowing a bit more about the brand and its technology can help you determine which Oakley glasses are best for you.
Choosing Oakley sports glasses
These days, Oakley makes all kinds of bestselling accessories and apparel. But the brand is best-known for its sports and performance sunglasses.
Oakley’s been praised internationally for the design, innovation and durability of its lenses and frames. The company has also sponsored top-tier athletes, including:
Professional snowboarder and Olympic gold medalist Jamie Anderson
World-class skier Henrik Harlaut
Masters champion and PGA Tour icon Bubba Watson
World-renowned surfer Jordy Smith
Track superstar Ato Boldon also sported Oakley sunglasses at the 2000 Summer Olympics, while Tiger Woods is frequently seen wearing Oakley shades both on and off the golf course.
In keeping with the brand’s reputation as a leader in performance eyewear, you’ll find specific Oakley sunglasses for nearly every kind of sport or activity. Oakley’s website lets you easily shop models by grouping them into the following categories:
In addition to sports-specific glasses, the brand has also collaborated with trendsetting emerging artists and elite athletes to create limited-edition eyewear. Most recently, Oakley designed a signature series of Oakley Sutro glasses with American football quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
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Oakley glasses technology
What makes Oakley sports glasses so effective is their cutting-edge technology and design, engineered to maximize performance during specific activities. Most Oakley fishing glasses, for example, are built with impact protection technology, which makes them better suited to extreme conditions when compared to most competitor brands.
This technology is also used in Oakley sunglasses and goggles designed for other high-impact sports and activities, including football, mountain biking, skiing and snowboarding.
Oakley PRIZM glasses
Oakley’s proprietary PRIZM lens technology is based on the human eye’s ability to perceive light in natural conditions. It was in development for nearly two decades before going to market and is now one of the brand’s best-known features.
Engineered using hyper-spectral imaging to analyze light, PRIZM lens technology helps the wearer see more clearly by improving depth perception and enhancing contrast and colors. PRIZM lenses achieve these results by filtering different light wavelengths, causing details to appear sharper and allowing the eye to see more no matter the light conditions.
Oakley PRIZM glasses are so useful that the NFL partnered with the brand to develop PRIZM Clear Shields that could be attached to players’ helmets, enhancing their visibility during games.
A pair of Oakley PRIZM glasses is a must if you’re looking for performance sunglasses for a particular sport or outdoor environment. You’ll find tinted, treated lenses optimized for snowscapes, trails and the road that can be incorporated into the frame model of your choice. That said, the brand also offers the option to purchase everyday sunglasses with the same advanced lens technology, so you can enjoy enhanced visibility no matter where you are or what you’re doing.
Oakley HDO glasses
In addition to its PRIZM technology, Oakley is also well known for its HDO lenses. These lenses optimize performance and safety by filtering light to improve vision accuracy without distorting perception or sacrificing contrast. This makes them an ideal choice if you’re considering Oakley safety glasses for driving, leisure activities or sports.
Polarized Oakley sunglasses
When selecting sunglasses for outdoor sports and activities, looking for a pair with polarized lenses is crucial. Oakley takes this a step further, imbuing its famous HDO and PRIZM lenses with high-grade polarization to cut through light glare, which can help improve both your performance and the quality of your vision in any light conditions.
The best part? Polarized Oakley sunglasses don’t just leverage one specific lens technology — you can choose the lens type that’s right for you to create a fully customized pair that fits your needs.
Impact and UV protection
If you lead an active lifestyle, you know that the durability of your lenses is just as important as their ability to enhance your vision and protect your eyes.
Because Oakley glasses are engineered with sports in mind, the brand tests its lenses under extreme conditions to ensure unmatched durability and protection. Oakley’s patented Plutonite lenses are made of resilient, purified polycarbonate that is lighter than plastic and will not shatter when struck by most projectiles.
Oakley Plutonite glasses also block all wavelengths of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, protecting your eyes from harmful rays that can cause severe eye damage and conditions like cataracts and photokeratitis (snow blindness).
Shop Oakley polarized glasses: Men | Women
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