Look Past the Tint
How to choose sunglasses: what UV400 and the lens categories actually mean, whether polarised is worth it, how to pick a frame that fits, and how to keep the lenses scratch-free.
Most people buy sunglasses on how they look, which is fair enough — but the specification that matters is invisible, and a dark lens without it is worse than no sunglasses at all. New Zealand has some of the strongest UV in the world, so it is worth two minutes to know what you are looking at. This page covers what's listed, why UV protection is not the same as tint, polarised, mirrored and gradient lenses, what the lens categories mean, getting the frame to fit, and cleaning them without scratching them.
Shop Sunglasses Online
A few pairs currently listed by URBA VISTA. Photos, lens specifications and frame measurements are on each product page.
ARCHER
$69.99
URBA VISTA
ARIA
$59.99
URBA VISTA
AVERY
$59.99
URBA VISTA
BELLA
$57.99
URBA VISTA
BLAKE
$49.99
URBA VISTA
CAMDEN
$69.99
URBA VISTA
COLT
$69.99
URBA VISTA
FELIX
$49.99
URBA VISTA
UV Protection Is Not the Same as Tint
This is the one thing worth understanding before you buy anything. How dark a lens is and how much ultraviolet it filters are two unrelated properties. A deeply tinted lens with no UV filter is arguably worse than wearing nothing: the darkness makes your pupils open wider, and more UV reaches the eye than it would in bright light with no sunglasses on at all.
What you are looking for on a product page is UV400, or the equivalent wording 100% UVA/UVB protection. UV400 means the lens filters light up to a wavelength of 400 nanometres, which covers the whole ultraviolet range that reaches the ground. It is a specification, not a style — a pale lens can carry it and a very dark one might not.
Check the stated protection on each product page. This page explains how the specifications work; only the product listing can tell you what a particular pair has.
Polarised, Mirrored, Gradient: What the Lens Options Do
Beyond UV filtering, the lens treatment changes what you actually see through them:
Polarised — Cuts glare
A filter that blocks the horizontally reflected light coming off water, wet roads, snow and car bonnets. The difference on the water or driving into low sun is dramatic. It does not by itself mean UV protection — that is a separate specification.
Non-polarised tint — Reduces brightness
A plain tint dims everything evenly without filtering reflected glare. Perfectly fine for general wear, and it keeps LCD screens — dashboards, phones, some instrument panels — readable.
Mirrored — Reflective coating
A coating on the outer surface that bounces more light away before it reaches the lens. Useful in very bright conditions like snow and open water; it scratches more visibly than a plain lens.
Gradient — Dark top, lighter base
Darker at the top and clearer toward the bottom, so you get shade against the sky while still seeing a dashboard or a book. A common choice for driving.
Photochromic — Adjusts to light
Darkens in sunlight and lightens indoors. Note that most windscreens block the UV that triggers the reaction, so they often stay light in a car.
Anti-reflective backing — Stops rear glare
An interior coating that stops light hitting the back of the lens and bouncing into your eye — the cause of that ghosted reflection with the sun behind you.
The one to know: polarised is a genuine upgrade on the water and driving into low sun, but it is a glare filter, not a UV filter. A pair can be one without the other, so check both on the product page.
What the Lens Categories Mean
Sunglasses sold in New Zealand and Australia carry a lens category from 0 to 4, which describes how much visible light the lens blocks — how dark it is, in other words, rather than how much UV it filters:
Category 0 & 1 — Fashion / very low sun
Little to no glare reduction. Fine indoors, at dusk, or as a fashion frame — not a bright-day lens.
Category 2 — Medium sun
A medium tint that suits overcast days and general wear without being dark.
Category 3 — Bright sun
Good glare reduction for general sunny outdoor conditions — the category most everyday sunglasses fall into.
Category 4 — Extreme glare only
Very dark, for high-altitude or snow conditions. Not legal to drive in, in New Zealand — check the label before wearing them behind the wheel.
Worth repeating because it is a legal point rather than a preference: category 4 lenses are not legal to drive in. If a pair is that dark, they are for snow and altitude, not the motorway.
Getting the Frame to Fit
You cannot try a frame on through a screen, but frames carry their own measurements and you almost certainly own a pair that already fits:
The lens and bridge numbers
Most frames print three numbers inside an arm — lens width, bridge width and arm length, in millimetres. Compare them against a pair you already own and like.
Frames should not touch your cheeks
If they rest on your cheeks they will smudge every time you smile, and they will slide down.
The arms should sit level
They should meet your ears without pressing. Pressure at the temples is what turns a nice pair into a headache after an hour.
Wider face, wider frame
The frame front works best when it is about as wide as your face at the temples — narrower and it pinches, wider and it slides.
Look inside the arm of a pair you like — the three numbers printed there, something like 52▭18 140, are lens width, bridge width and arm length in millimetres. Match those and you are most of the way there.
Cleaning Them Without Scratching Them
Most sunglasses are not worn out, they are scratched out — usually by a dry wipe on a shirt with grit still on the lens. Two minutes of the right method:
Rinse before you wipe.
Grit is what scratches lenses, and wiping dry lenses grinds it in. Run them under cool water first so anything abrasive floats off.
Use a drop of dish soap.
Work it over both sides of the lenses and the frame with your fingertips. Skip glass cleaner and anything with ammonia or alcohol, which strips lens coatings.
Rinse again, thoroughly.
Any soap left behind dries as a film and you will be back where you started.
Dry with a microfibre cloth.
Not your shirt, not a paper towel, not a tissue — all three are abrasive enough to leave fine scratches over time.
Store them in a case, lenses up.
Face down on a bench is how lenses get scratched, and a hot car dashboard is how frames warp and coatings craze.
The two habits that ruin lenses fastest: wiping them dry on whatever you are wearing, and leaving them on a dashboard in the sun.
Before You Order
- Check the stated UV protection on the product page — that is the specification that matters, and it is separate from how dark the lens looks.
- Check whether the lenses are polarised if you will be driving, fishing or on the water.
- Check the lens category if you want them for very bright conditions, and remember category 4 is not legal to drive in.
- Compare the frame measurements against a pair you already own and like.
- Check current availability on the product page; stock on individual styles moves quickly.
- Confirm delivery coverage for your address at checkout.
How to Order
Browse.
Browse the Fashion category or search by style name on DoorToShop. Each listing shows the local store that has it.
Check the specs.
Lens details, UV protection and frame measurements are on the product page. Compare the frame numbers against a pair you already own.
Add to cart.
Add it to your cart. DoorToShop is a multi-merchant marketplace, so you can add items from several local stores to the same order.
Check out.
Pay securely by card or net banking. There is no minimum order value.
Receive your order.
The store dispatches the next business day and courier delivery typically takes 1–3 business days. Track your order in real time on the web or in the DoorToShop app.
Delivery is $5 as a base fee, with free delivery on orders above $69, and there is no minimum order value. Enter your postcode at checkout to confirm delivery coverage for your address, or read how DoorToShop works. Returns and exchanges are handled by the merchant who sold the item.
Frequently Asked Questions: Sunglasses
Where can I buy sunglasses online on DoorToShop?
Browse the Fashion category on DoorToShop. Sunglasses are currently listed by URBA VISTA, and orders are couriered to your delivery address.
Does a darker lens mean more UV protection?
No, and this is the most common misunderstanding about sunglasses. Tint and UV filtering are separate things. A dark lens with no UV filter is arguably worse than no sunglasses at all, because the darkness makes your pupils open wider and lets more UV through. Always go by the stated UV protection on the product page, not by how dark the lens looks.
What does UV400 mean?
UV400 means the lens filters light up to a wavelength of 400 nanometres, which covers both UVA and UVB. It is equivalent to the 100% UVA/UVB protection wording you will also see. Check the product page for what each pair states.
What is the difference between polarised and non-polarised?
Polarised lenses contain a filter that blocks horizontally reflected light — the glare bouncing off water, wet roads, snow and car bonnets. Non-polarised lenses simply dim everything evenly. Polarised is a noticeable improvement for driving, fishing and time on the water, but it can make some LCD screens hard to read, and it is not the same thing as UV protection.
What do the lens categories mean?
Lens categories run from 0 to 4 and describe how much light the lens blocks. Categories 0 and 1 are fashion tints with little glare reduction, category 2 suits overcast days, category 3 covers general bright sunlight and is where most everyday sunglasses sit, and category 4 is for extreme glare such as snow and high altitude. Category 4 lenses are not legal for driving in New Zealand.
How do I know a frame will fit?
Most frames print three measurements inside one of the arms: lens width, bridge width and arm length, in millimetres. Compare those against a pair you already own and like. The frame front should be roughly as wide as your face at the temples, the lenses should not rest on your cheeks, and the arms should reach your ears without pressing.
How should I clean sunglasses without scratching them?
Rinse them under cool water first so grit floats off, then use a drop of dish soap on both sides of the lenses, rinse thoroughly and dry with a microfibre cloth. Avoid glass cleaner, ammonia and alcohol, which strip lens coatings, and avoid drying them on a shirt or a paper towel, which are abrasive enough to scratch over time.
Can sunglasses be worn for driving?
Most can, but category 4 lenses are too dark to drive in and are not legal for driving in New Zealand. Polarised or gradient lenses are a common choice for driving because they cut glare off the road and the bonnet while leaving the dashboard readable.
How fast is delivery on a sunglasses order?
Orders are dispatched by the merchant the next business day and typically arrive within 1 to 3 business days by courier. Enter your postcode at checkout to confirm delivery coverage for your address.
How much does delivery cost?
The base delivery fee is $5 NZD, with free delivery on orders above $69 — the exact amount is confirmed at checkout. There is no minimum order value.
Can I order sunglasses with other products?
Yes. DoorToShop is a multi-merchant marketplace, so you can add sunglasses to the same cart as groceries and other products available from participating merchants and check out once.
What if they are not right when they arrive?
Returns and exchanges are handled by the merchant who sold the item. Check that merchant's returns terms before ordering, and contact DoorToShop support if you need help reaching them.