Oakley Sporting New Lines of Specialized Sunglasses

What’s new under the sun?

It’s an age of specialization, so Oakley Inc., the Irvine-based manufacturer of upscale sunglasses, is expanding its product line to fit some special niches. The resulting lines--M Frame and Zeros--are designed for the unique needs of baseball players, golfers and hoop players.

The new glasses already have been tested by such professionals as San Diego Padres star Tony Gwynn. The baseball model includes tapered “ear stems” that fit under batting helmets, low-profile nosepieces designed to let fielders concentrate on high pop flies and screaming grounders, and specially tinted lens for playing under both sunlight and stadium lights.

The basketball sunglasses incorporate thick foam pads that help to absorb blows from errant elbows and special venting to help dissipate heat. The basketball glasses also will include a strap to keep the shades in place.

The new lines “represent our most advanced technology for demanding sports applications . . . and enable us to provide athletes with the best frame-and-lens combinations for a particular sports application,” said Oakley founder and chairman Jim Jannard.

Speaking of Oakley, the company plans to move to its new headquarters in Foothill Ranch at the end of this year.