What Are Polarized Sunglasses?

Polarized sunglasses are lenses designed to reduce glare, or light that reflects off surfaces like water or snow.

They can be beneficial for a number of outdoor activities, such as boating, fishing and skiing. Furthermore, sunglasses reduce eyestrain and improve driving safety by improving peripheral vision.

Reduces Glare

Polarized lenses help reduce glare from sources such as the sun, water, snow or glass by filtering out certain colors and providing greater detail on objects around you.

Driving and extended outdoor activities: When driving, sunlight hitting your windshield scatters into a bright glare that can be distracting and hazardous. Wearing polarized sunglasses helps you see clearly and helps avoid accidents while driving.

If you are uncertain if your glasses are polarized, try them on in front of a backlit LCD screen and observe whether the hue darkens as you turn the lens. This indicates that the polarizing filter is oriented at 90 degrees to the display.

Polarized sunglasses can be beneficial in many circumstances, but they're not suitable for everyone. Some people experience dizziness and disorientation when looking through polarized lenses, making it difficult to make split-second decisions or read digital numbers on instrument panels. You can see many models of sunglasses at Optical Center which is a quality online optician.

Blocks Harmful UV Rays

UV rays from the sun can harm your eyes, damaging cornea, retina and eyelid. Furthermore, these rays may lead to cataracts and macular degeneration in older individuals.

Polarized lenses filter out direct bright light so your eyes aren't as often exposed to it, helping prevent eye strain, headaches and other eye issues. This is particularly beneficial for people who enjoy outdoor activities like snowboarding, skiing, water sports and beach trips where UV rays may cause eye strain, headaches and other eye problems.

Polarized sunglasses may shield your eyes from glare, but they cannot shield you from UV rays from the sun. That is why it is essential to invest in a pair of sunglasses with 100% UVA and UVB protection.

Enhances Vision

Polarized sunglasses work by filtering out glare, or light that reflects off water and other reflective surfaces. This enhances your vision and safety in bright sunlight conditions.

Polarized sunglasses also protect your eyes from harmful UV rays that could harm your vision and increase the risk of eye disease and other eye problems. Before purchasing polarized sunglasses, make sure to check the label and ask an eye care professional if they include UV protection as well.

Polarized lenses not only reduce glare, but they can also enhance your vision in other ways as well. For instance, they reduce reflections from car windshields and enable you to see more clearly while driving.

Polarized sunglasses can also be beneficial if you use a tablet or other electronic device. This could be especially advantageous for pilots with large LCD displays in the cockpit and sports players who must view scores on their smartphone screens.

Protects Eyes All Year Around

Sunglasses not only give you a fashionable look in the sun, but they also protect your eyes year-round. They keep glare, dust and wind out of your eyes, reduce eye strain and shield you against UV rays that can do long-term harm.

Polarized lenses feature a chemical filter that blocks horizontal light waves from reaching your eyes, similar to how a miniblind hangs in front of a window; only light rays that approach vertically can pass through its openings.

This helps reduce glare, making it easier to see when near water or snow. It's especially advantageous for sports enthusiasts such as fishermen who can more clearly discern what lies beneath the waves without being blinded by glare.

Polarized sunglasses not only reduce glare, but they also block harmful UV rays. UVA, UVB and UVC rays can cause cataracts, aging of the cornea and even degrade your retinas if not protected against. When buying sunglasses make sure they offer 99 or 100% protection from UVA, UVB and UVC rays.