Polarized Bifocal Sunglasses: See Near and Far Wherever You Are

Lounging in the sunshine with a pair of sunnies and a page-turner is how we relax to the max. But to achieve true relaxation, we don’t want to squint into the sun or squint to see those tiny words on the page. So the right pair of sunglasses is essential.

We can all benefit from polarized lenses to reduce glare and keep our eyes more comfortable. And if you’re someone who needs vision correction for both your close-up and distance vision, then you’ll also benefit from multifocal lenses, like bifocals or (our faves!) no-line bifocals.

Polarized bifocal lenses allow you to look down at your book for comfy outdoor reading or look up to take in the view without ever changing your eyewear — because switching between sun readers and distance glasses all day just won’t do.

To find your perfect pair of polarized bifocal sunglasses, use this guide to the best features, lenses, and styles.

Traditional Bifocal Sunglasses vs. No-Line Bifocal Sunglasses

The first decision you have to make when you shop for bifocal sunglasses is whether you want traditional bifocal lenses or progressive lenses, aka no-line bifocal lenses. The biggest difference is, well, the line.

Traditional bifocal lenses are made from two different lenses that are glued together. This gives you a visible line where the bifocal reader and distance lenses meet. And no matter how many times the optometrist tells us it’s a “nearly invisible line,” we can still see it. And your friends, family, and acquaintances will also see it when they make eye contact with you.

Because bifocals use two different lenses, they can also cause image jump, which is the disorienting feeling that occurs when your brain has to quickly switch between near and far images.

With progressive lenses, there’s no line and no image jump. Progressives, or no-line bifocals, are made from a single lens that gradually transitions from your distance prescription at the top of the lens to your reading prescription at the bottom of the lens. There’s an intermediate distance between the two so your eyes and brain don’t have to jump from near to far.

It can still take some time to get used to progressive lenses, but once you’ve adjusted, they provide a more seamless experience.

The Must-Have Features of No-Line Polarized Bifocal Sunglasses

There are two main components of every pair of glasses: the lenses and the frames. The lenses help you see. The frames help you look good!

And with the right features, your lenses and frames can go beyond these essential functions to provide better sun protection, more comfort, and improved durability. Here are the features to look for to get the best performance out of your polarized bifocal sunglasses.

The Lenses

Your lenses provide sun protection and vision correction.

While both polarized and non-polarized sunglasses offer UV protection from both UVA and UVB rays, polarized lenses also reduce glare and increase contrast. This minimizes eyestrain and keeps your eyes more comfortable in bright sunlight, which is why outdoor athletes widely prefer polarized sunglasses according to a survey-based study.

You can make sunny days even easier on your eyes by choosing reflective sunglass lenses (sometimes called mirror lenses) to further reduce glare. And you can choose from darker lens colors, like black or brown lenses, if you have sensitive eyes or live in a bright environment, and lighter lens colors, like green or gray lenses, if you have less sensitive eyes or live in a darker environment. At Pair Eyewear, our sunglasses are available with black, brown, green, silver mirror, blue mirror, pink mirror, or green mirror lenses.

You can add polarized lenses and choose your lens color on any prescription sunglasses. And at Pair, polarized lenses come standard on all of our sunglasses.

Polarized progressive lenses act as bifocal reading sunglasses when you look through the bottom of the lens and bifocal distance sunglasses when you look through the top of the lens. But you can also get polarized single-vision sunglasses to correct your distance vision or polarized reading sunglasses to provide simple magnification for up-close tasks. Although choosing two pairs of sunglasses over one pair of bifocals will mean you have to switch between the two for different tasks.

Because prescription lenses are considered a medical device, you may even be able to cover the cost of your prescription sunglasses with pre-tax money by paying from a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA). At Pair, we accept FSA and HSA payments for all of our prescription sunglasses from the simplest sunglass readers to the most complicated progressive lens prescriptions.

The Frames

We love a frame that allows us to express our personality, so we created Top Frames to give you access to even more style. Our Top Frames attach to our sunglasses with tiny magnets and allow you to change the color and pattern of your frames at any time. So today you can rock a subtle Teal to Espresso Gradient look, and tomorrow you can go glam with a Ruby Sparkle style that glitters even better than rhinestones.

You can even turn your Pair eyeglasses into sunglasses by adding Sun Tops so you don’t have to buy separate sunnies unless you want to.

Yes, we like to have fun with our frames, but we also know that comfort and durability are important. All our frames feature a full rim, which helps protect your lenses and is far more durable than rimless or half-rim glasses.

We make our frames from plant-based cellulose acetate, which is lightweight, flexible, and durable. Then we add spring hinges for even more durability, and we complete it with lightweight and scratch-resistant polycarbonate lenses.

With Pair, you don’t have to choose between fashion and functionality in your search for the perfect pair of sunglasses.

5 Pairs of No-Line, Polarized Bifocal Sunglasses

Now that you know what to look for in your polarized bifocal sunglasses, take a look at five pairs that fit the bill.

These no-line bifocals are available with prescription progressive lenses. All of these styles are also available as eyeglasses, which you can customize with blue-light filtering or light-responsive lenses. Then add a Sun Top to transform them into sunglasses.

Our sunglasses feature polarized lenses in your choice of lens color and frame color — choose between shiny black, tortoise, blue tortoise, clear, blue clear, and pink clear Base Frames, then add Top Frames in any color you like before you reach checkout. (Or start a wishlist so people know what to get you for every birthday and holiday from now on.)

Most of our styles are unisex designs that look great on both men and women. We’re showing off some of our new releases and all-time best sellers below.

1. The Murphy

These wide frames are new to our collection. The Murphy features a modern, square silhouette with extra-large lenses to keep those sun rays from sneaking past the side of your frames. They’ll have you looking cool on hot days.

2. The Wanda

One of our all-time best sellers, The Wanda features a modern cat-eye shape that looks good on almost everyone. This is the ideal frame to help you get in touch with your inner movie star.

3. The Larkin

This best-selling rectangular frame features a narrow fit that’s perfect for smaller faces. The Larkin has a thinner frame and a timeless shape that offer subtle sophistication.

4. The Quinn

These sunglasses are pure sunshine. The Quinn is a 1960’s-inspired pair of cat-eye sunglasses. The oversized design provides extra Old Hollywood glamor and extra protection from the sun’s rays.

5. The Jessie

Go mod with these oversized midcentury-inspired sunnies. The Jessie frames make a statement with a wide design that provides big style and big sun protection.

Bring on the Rays

With a pair of no-line, polarized bifocal sunglasses, you’ll be ready for any sunny day. The progressive lenses will empower you to participate in up-close activities, like outdoor reading, far away activities, like tossing a frisbee or taking in the view, and everything in between.

To enjoy the sun in style, take a look at the complete collection of Pair Eyewear sunglasses for men and women. All of our sunglasses come with polarized lenses and can be made with progressive lenses to fit your prescription.

Plus, with our 30-day free return policy, you’re sure to find sunglasses that make you smile.