What Is VLT In Sunglasses? - How To Find A Suitable Pair

VLT is a term used to describe the percentage of ultraviolet light that passes through the lens. The lower the number, the more protection you will have from UV rays. To find out how this applies to your own needs, ask yourself: what type of environment am I in most often? Do I need protection from glare or brighter colors? 

And all the answers will be right here, in our post on what is VLT in sunglasses today. Check it out.

What Is VLT?

Visible light transmission or VLT% is a unit to identify the amount of visible light that may travel through an optical or solar lens. It is also known as Visible Light Transmittance (VLT percent ), and it varies from 1% to 99.9%.

There are many different sunglasses lenses available. However, the most popular ones have VLTs ranging from 1% to 99%. Some lenses are dark when looking through because they have low-VLT percent coatings, while the others make everything appear bright and clear due to their high VLT percentage. 

Photometers can assist you in measuring this statistic to discover lenses with transmission rates that meet their requirements.

How Do VLT Percentages Correspond With Type Of Tints? 

3-18% VLT

This glass should only be used in bright sunlight if you work outside or need high contrast eyesight. It necessitates a very dark tint with a mirrored covering that reflects light rather than absorbing it. 

We recommend you not to use sunglasses with 3-18% VLT when driving with limited sunlight because they may make every other car appear dull and blurry.

8-18% VLT

Lenses will still have a dark tint, but it's more suitable for intense Lenses with an 8-18% VLT and a dark tint will still create some glare, but it will be better for intense reflected light. 

These glasses are ideal if you intend on driving or doing other activities in the snow since they minimize the amount of bright sunlight that reflects off the water and onto your eyes! The colors associated with these sorts of sunglasses are often grey or copper.

18-43% VLT

This kind feature medium tints for anyone want moderate amounts of sunlight.

43-80% VLT

Lenses are an excellent method to inject individuality and originality into your photographs. With light tinted lenses, you may be more creative in brightening up those dreary days or employing certain colors for particular activities, such as golfing! 

80-100% VLT

This VLT is generally used for fashion, safety, or night activities like skiing and cycling with none or very lightly tinted.

Why Does VLT Matter?

A variety of factors determine which hue is best for your lenses. Safety should be one of them! For example, if there are no clouds in the sky, 8 percent or less is considered "overly dark" and will impair one's vision. Driving wearing sunglasses with 3-8 percent VLT might be deemed unlawful in countries other than the UK. 

So, our advice to individuals looking for a pair of driving sunglasses is to avoid ones with too low a VLT. Instead, drivers might want to go for 8-18% VLT, which is enough to protect the eyes.

Sunlight may harm your eyesight in a variety of ways. Many individuals believe that wearing glasses with low VLT and exceptionally good protection will keep their eyes safe in all circumstances. However, manufacturers do not advocate utilizing them under normal settings, only in cases of severe exposure.

So, whether you're intending on watching the next solar eclipse or staying in a low-light environment for a lengthy period (mountaineering sunglasses come with 5% VLT lenses), it's worth checking out how black the sunglasses truly are before purchasing.

Conclusion

Choosing the right sunglasses for your needs is more than just picking out a frame color. If you want to get the most protection from UV rays, it's important that you determine your need and find one to suit it.

We hope you find this article on "what is VLT in sunglasses" useful and thank you for taking your time.