I've owned many different brands of sunglasses and I think Maui Jims are far and away the best for optical clarity and glare reduction. My new Makahas have bronze lenses which boost contrast nicely without altering the color that I see. They are also light in weight, flexible, and very sturdy. Perfect for sporting activities.(To the reviewer who complained because they are plastic: Plastic is the new glass, only lighter.) The bifocal magnifier is placed low in the lens and at the inside edge next to the nose. The advantage of this is that you barely notice it when you don't need the extra magnification, the disadvantage is that the magnifiers are not well positioned for extended reading. I bought these glasses for fishing and the magnifier is perfect for tying on a small fly. You could also read a map or a newspaper without difficulty, but the fact is they are not true "readers" unless you like being semi-crosseyed for hours on end. So, I think the "Readers" label is misleading and should be changed. Two other points worth mentioning. These are not big glasses. They look bigger in the display ads than they are. If you have a large face, you'd probably be happier with the Ho'okipa model which are similarly styled but a bit larger. Finally, the included sport case is compact and easy to use. I have a pair of Kaenons with a shell case, and every time I put them away I have to solve the puzzle of how they fit in their case. The Maui Jim case works perfectly and there is room left over for the cleaning cloth as well. It's true these glasses are not cheap but at least you are paying for real quality and high function and not just for a designer name.

The Maui Jim Readers work very well for me! Background: I'm a middle-aged woman who has worn off-the-shelf reading glasses for several years. I've just begun wearing prescription progressive lenses. I finally decided to purchase sunglasses with reading magnification for cycling because it has become increasingly difficult to see my bike computer over the past few years. I chose the Maui Jim brand because of their comfort and excellent visual clarity. I've worn Maui Jim sunglasses for many years and find them to be superior to the Revos and Vuarnets I used to wear. Please note: The manufacturer's description states that the bifocal is positioned to optimize distance views. This is very accurate. These glasses do not have the same large magnification area that progressive lenses have. It takes a short while to get used to finding the reading magnification "sweet spot." If you solely intend to use these glasses for reading on the beach, they may not be for you. On the other hand, if you intend to be more active when using these glasses, I think you will love them. They are perfect for reading your cell phone caller id, digital camera screens, iPod screens, sports watch timers and settings, etc. As for comfort and fit, they are extremely light weight, flexible and comfortable. The lenses are large enough to prevent wind induced tearing of your eyes while biking, but aren't too large. The frames sit on top of the head nicely and won't stretch out. If you have a very petite face, the frames might be too large. The Makaha model is for medium faces; the Ho'okipa model is for large faces. In my opinion, these are true unisex sunglasses, suitable for both men and women.

Near perfect! Recommended

I am very disappointed in the Mauri Jim's bifocal sunglasses. I was surprised that glasses were 100% plastic for $199.00. Too much $$ for quality. I wanted to return for a refund, but, I never got around to returning them to company. I purchased prescription transition bifocal sunglasses at Costco including anti reflective coating for a few dollars more.