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Top 10 Best Reading Sunglasses [A 2021 Guide]
I love reading at the beach, or in a park, but I think you can all relate when I say that the light gets too much at times.
So what should come to my rescue? Reading sunglasses.
I selected a pair for myself and they helped so much that I thought I’d write a whole post about it with my top picks. Enjoy!
What Are Reading Sunglasses?
Reading glasses are designed to do two things at once:
- Give you great UV protection
- Enhance your near-view vision to make it easier to read
There are a ton of different types and frame styles, which I’ll get into below, but I love having these when reading a book on the beach, or just while I’m out in nature in general (because I never go anywhere without a book to read).
But without further ado, let’s get into my top picks for the best reading sunglasses on the market.
The Best Reading Sunglasses
Here are my picks all assembled in a convenient table, but if you want more information, read on for my complete breakdown of each option.
Best Overall (Unisex) – TruVision Readers Reading Glasses
Reading Sunglasses - HP9505 - 2 PACK - 1 Sun Black - 1 Sun Tortoise -1.50
- Mens Reading Glasses - TruVision offers mens readers in classic styles with comfortable,...
- Womens Reading Glasses - Truvision offers womens readers to appeal to the ladies sense of...
- Readers for the Sun - TruVision offers corrective eyeglasses with UVA/UVB protection,...
- Comfort and Durability - TruVision offers impact-resistant, military drop-ball tested...
- No Risk Guarantee - TruVision will replace or refund your purchase...no questions...
The TruVision is BY FAR the best option on this list for best overall. It ticks all the boxes of style, comfort, durability and price.
If I had one small problem with this pair, it would be that it didn’t have polarizaiton. But that isn’t a huge problem given everything else it comes with.
This is what I ended up going with for myself, because I didn’t want to compromise any particular attribute, and this one gave me the best of all worlds.
Best For Women – EYEGUARD Outdoor Reading Sunglasses
EYEGUARD Outdoor Reading Sunglasses Elegant Womens Readers Glasses-Not Bifocals
- Light weight PC frame with UV400 protection acrylic anti-scratched lens.（Not Bifocals）
- Metal hinge and Dura-Tight Screws
- Lens width:55mm,Nose brdige width:16mm,Temple length:132 mm
- In addition to fashion glasses,you will also get a elastic pouch with leopard print that...
- NOTICE : FDA registered and meet ANSIZ80.3 standard.These glasses are NOT bi-focal glasses
Even though I just said that I bought the “best overall” glasses, I will say this: I was sorely tempted by these stylish beauties.
I also highly considered putting this pair in the “best style” section as well, but figured we could spread the love with more than one pair with style.
I love these because they’re light weight, but still have the style that I like to look for in a women-only accessory.
These glasses aren’t bifocals, so if you don’t have need of bifocals, then these are definitely the pair for you.
Best For Men – Eyekepper Spring Hinges Reading Sunglasses
Eyekepper Spring Hinges Polka Dots Patterned Temples Rectangular Reading Sunglasses Sunshine Readers +1.5
- PRODUCTS DIMENSION - Frame material: Plastic, Lens width: 2"(51mm), Frame width: 5...
- PRODUCTS DIMENSION - Frame material: Plastic, Lens width: 2"(51mm), Frame width: 5...
- EYEKEPPER READING GLASSES - the pupil distance(PD) is 59-63mm,the deviation for pupil...
- EYEKEPPER GEM PATTERN READING GLASSES - 5-pair at 1 low price, Each set is just for one...
- QUALITY FRAME - Registered Reading Glasses and Eyewear,Top quality plastic frame and gem...
I had to look long and hard for a good option for men, because most that came up were either unisex, or just weren’t that interesting or useful.
Then I stumbled on these, and I have to say, I think men would look pretty cute wearing more of these
Who says the more flowery style has to be just a woman’s thing? I think these have the sleek look and also a lot of extra style packed in.
Anyway, when it comes to a man’s style, I think these would be perfect.
Best Aviator – EYEGUARD Unisex Classic Style
EYEGUARD Unisex Classic Style Bifocal Sunglasses Readers with Lens UV400 Protection Outdoor Reading Glasses for Men and Women
- UV400 protection bifocal unisex metal sun-readers
- Perfect for Outdoor Reading and Distance Viewing
- Coming with carrying pouch and cleaning cloth
- Lens width:58 mm,Nose bridge width:14mm,Temple length:132mm
- FDA registered and meet ANSIZ80.3 standard
So I’ll admit, I bought a pair of Aviator sunglasses a while back. They weren’t reading sunglasses, but were prescription instead. But I still love them, because Aviators are just the best.
So I had to make sure I included a good pair of Aviator sunglasses on this list, which is why I picked these. They’re unisex, have a nice gold frame, and even have bifocal lenses to help with magnification.
Best for Style – Readers.com Reading Sunglasses
Readers.com Reading Sunglasses: The Key West Reading Sunglasses Plastic Retro Square Style for Men and Women - Tortoise with Smoke, 1.00
- THE KEY WEST READING SUNGLASSES +1.00 TORTOISE WITH SMOKE: With UV protection form the sun...
- PLASTIC FRAME: This retro square frame features spring hinges for a comfortable fit
- ACRYLIC LENSES: These fully magnified lenses have lightweight, plastic lenses
- MEASUREMENTS: Average fit with 135mm frame width, 35mm lens height, and 134mm temple...
- LENS MAGNIFICATION STRENGTH: Available in +1.0, +1.25, +1.5, +1.75, +2.0, +2.25, +2.5, and...
If you want something more bold than the options I listed above for men and women, I suggest the Key West reading sunglasses from Readers.com.
They’re actually unisex, so the guys don’t have to be left out, but they’re also really stylish.
The lenses have a dark gray tint, set in a plastic frame, and are generally lightweight.
Ultimately, this is definitely something I might pick up for myself.
Best for Comfort – Classic Bifocal Outdoor Reading Sunglasses
Classic Bifocal Outdoor Reading Sunglasses - Comfortable Stylish Simple Readers Magnification (Both Pair, 2.25)
- Classic style sunglasses with bifocal magnification
- Spring Hinges Fit Most Face Sizes
- Comes with it's own Vision World Microfiber Storage Pouch
- Lightweight Durable Frame for extended comfort.
- High Quality Polycarbonate lens
If comfort is your top priority, I don’t blame you. Very often, I will buy a product based purely on the comfort factor, even if it sacrifices style, price, etc.
And that’s what I’ve picked here. These versatile reading sunglasses aren’t exactly on the stylish side, but they are definitely the most comfortable and they get the job done.
I highly recommend one of these if all you want is a pair of functioning reading glasses that protect your eyes and don’t feel like they’re squeezing your head in a vice while they do so.
Best Bifocal Option – Gamma Ray Bifocal Sunglasses
GAMMA RAY 3 Pairs Bifocal Gradient Sunglasses Readers Reading Glasses - 1.50x
- 3 pairs of bifocal reading glasses with outdoor glare UV400 protection from sun at 1 low...
- Light Weight Plastic Frame
- Comes with Carrying Pouch that acts as Cleaning Cloth
- Perfect for Outdoor Reading and Distance Viewing
- Help us spread the word and enjoy your new pair of Gamma Ray Readers as they are protected...
Alright, so we already have a whole post on reading bifocals, because they’re super useful for reading. But what about reading bifocal sunglasses?
There are actually a lot of bifocal reading sunglasses, in fact, there are several more in the list. But for the label of “best” bifocal sunglasses, I decided to go with what I thought was the best blend of price, comfort, and practicality, and that’s the Gamma Ray Bifocal Sunglasses from Gamma Ray Optics
The price on these is good, they do exactly the job they’re built for, and I’d say are a solid choice. They’re not too great for style, but I’m sure some of you don’t have that as a priority, so there you go.
Best Polarized – proSPORT Polarized Bifocal Reading Sunglasses
proSPORT Polarized Bifocal Sunglasses +2.00 Smoke Lens Black Frame Men and Women
- POLARIZED LENSES: Eliminates glare from shiny objects such as chrome bumpers, mirrors, &...
- LIGHT WEIGHT & COMFORTABLE: Constructed of TR90 thermoplastic, these frames are so...
- IMPACT RESISTANT POLYCARBONATE LENSES: Eye protection should always be a priority....
- NON-SLIP RUBBER NOSE & EAR PIECES: If you want to be on top of your game, you will need...
- WHAT ARE BIFOCAL SUNGLASSES?: Bifocal tinted glasses are sunglasses with single powered...
Polarization is a huge priority for a lot of people, because they want to avoid glare, so I made sure to add one of those on here.
As an added perk, these are also wraparound sports glasses. If that’s a problem, it’s not too hard to find a polarized sunglass that is more your style, but I thought these were generally the best option for polarization.
These glasses are not only polarized, but come with a composite frame and lens, which makes them more comfortable, and they’re very light weight.
And they look cool too!
Best Full-lens – Full Lens Reading Sunglasses
Full Lens Reading Sunglasses | Classic Outdoor Reader Glasses | Men and Women (Tortoise, 1.25)
- Entire Lens is Magnified - Smooth Gradient Smokey Tinted Lens
- Not Bifocals - Reader Portion Covers Entire Lens
- One Size Fits Most (Standard Size) - 5.75" Wide, 2" Tall, 5.75" Arms
- Classic Retro Style - Never Goes Out of Style - Great for Men and Ladies
- Great for use outdoors - Use with close up activities, smart phone, tablet, computer and...
I’ll talk a bit more below about what a Full Lens is, but in a nutshell, it’s where you have that full magnification effect from top to bottom. It’s a single vision sunglass.
The Full Lens Reading glasses from grinderPUNCH make a great option if you’re looking for a full-lens pair of reading sunglasses.
They’ve got a nice retro style, and they are GREAT for magnification.
Just don’t expect to use them for good long-distance sight. Get a prescription lens for that.
Best Sports Wrap – Bifocal Safety Sport Wrap Reading Sunglasses
Bifocal Safety Sport Wrap Reading Sunglasses Readers for Men and Women 8378 (Tortoise, 2.50)
- MAGNIFICATION SUNGLASSES DESIGN; Allows wearers to easily read their phones, scorecards,...
- UV400 100% UVA UVB PROTECTION FROM SUNLIGHT: Shield your eyes when outdoors and exposed to...
- MODERN HALF FRAME STYLE: Bifocal Sunglasses feature a modern rimless design along with...
- Semi-rimless half frame sunreader has tinted lenses to protect your eyes against harmful...
- Included is a Microfiber black soft pouch for storage and protection against scratches and...
I love the look of a good wraparound sports sunglasses. So I knew when I started writing this post that I needed to get one of these on the list.
We already had one of these on the list above, in the polarized section, but I thought I’d spread the love and put another on here, because I love them so much.
This pair is different from the above because it’s also a pair of bifocals. So you get the advantage of near-vision eyeglasses combined with more progressive lenses.
Types of Reading Sunglasses
There are a lot of different types of reading sunglasses, and different lens types, everything from blue-light blocking to polarized lenses, and a ton of different shapes.
And that’s not to mention all the different brands out there, which I won’t get into here, but you can find all sorts of resources about that online.
But let’s take a look at the different types of reading sunglasses:
- Polarized Reading Sunglasses: Polarized lenses are meant to reduce glare from the sun on flat surfaces, meaning that if you look at a window, and the sun is shining on that window, you’ll see through it clearer than if you didn’t have polarized lenses. This is particularly useful for driving.
- Bifocal Reading Sunglasses: A standard among reading glasses, bifocal sunglasses contain two lenses, one meant for magnifying near objects, and the other meant for longer-distance viewing.
- Progressive Reading Sunglasses: Progressive sunglasses are a lot like bifocals, meaning they have differing types of vision, one for near-vision magnification, and one for distance vision. But unlike bifocals, they don’t have the annoying lines that divide up the two lenses. Instead, there’s a gradation between the two.
- Full-lens Reading Sunglasses: A full-lens reading glass is one that is 100% magnification. So that little tiny lens you see in the bottom of a bifocal, take that and make the entire lens out of it. These are great for magnification if reading is all you’re doing, but not always great for versatility.
What to Consider When Buying Reading Sunglasses
In general, when I’m selecting sunglasses, there are a few factors that I consider. They are (in this order):
- Functionality: are they polarized or not? Do they efficiently protect my eyes from UV light? Is the magnification good?
- Comfort: How do they fit on my face? Do I get a headache from using them? Are they lightweight?
- Style: Do they look good? Would I feel embarrassed wearing these at the beach or in the park? Do they fit my chosen aesthetic?
- Price: Are they worth all the extra features? Is it a good bang for my buck? Would it be better to pay extra for a prescription?
These are some of the questions I ask myself when selecting a pair. So I encourage each of you to do the same, and take a look through my list of best reading sunglasses to see which one is right for you.
I hope you like what you get!
