Lenses
Lens categories and what a label says
Category 0 to 4, UV marking, and polarised: how to read a listing.
Categories describe darkness
In Europe, sunglasses carry a filter category from 0 to 4, which describes how much visible light the lens lets through. Category 0 is nearly clear, categories 2 and 3 are the usual sunglasses, and category 4 is very dark and not meant for driving.
The category is printed on the frame or the label and is the maker’s to state. We list what the shop lists and have not tested any lens.
UV marking and polarised lenses
UV protection is stated separately from darkness, often as UV400 or with the CE mark. A dark lens is not by itself a statement about UV, so read the label rather than the tint.
Polarised lenses cut glare reflected from flat surfaces such as water and roads. They can make some screens harder to read. A listing says polarised when the maker states it.
In the shops
Sport and wrap frames
Nothing in the shops matches today.