Are Polarized Lenses Really Helpful & are they Worth the Premium Price?

Polarized lenses are becoming more popular, but what do they really do?

If you spend most of your time outdoors, on the road, on the golf course, fishing, hunting, on the water or in the mountains, polarized lenses are worth every penny. Light usually reflects in many directions; but when light is reflected from flat surfaces, especially water, it’s more likely to be polarized — making it travel in just one (usually horizontal) direction. This creates glare – an annoying and sometimes dangerous intensity of reflected light that reduces visibility.

Photo by Sai Kiran Anagani on Unsplash

What is Polarized Light?

Light usually reflects in many directions; but when light is reflected from flat surfaces, especially water, it’s more likely to be polarized — making it travel in just one (usually horizontal) direction. This creates glare – an annoying and sometimes dangerous intensity of reflected light that reduces visibility.

How Do Polarized Lenses Work

Polarized lenses work by filtering out some of the light that reflects off horizontal surfaces like water, snow or the road. They have a special chemical coating that blocks horizontal light waves while allowing vertical light waves to pass through. This reduces glare and improves clarity, contrast and comfort.

Glare is More than a Nuisance

Glare impairs depth perception, distorts your view and colors, and can cause temporarily blindness, so the extra cost is worth it for many—especially if you spend time outdoors or on the water. Even if you’re not an outdoorsman, getting the sun in our eyes while driving can be dangerous. The most dangerous times to be on the road are dusk and dawn, for this very reason.
With a special filter, polarized lenses reduce this harmful (and irritating) glare from reflective surfaces including pavement, snow, and water, making objects appear clearer—like highway lines, the lake, or a trail in the woods.
Non-polarized sunglasses only reduce (slightly) the amount of light coming through the lenses, they don’t do anything to reduce the glare. Dark tinted glasses block more light but they still do nothing to eliminate harsh glare. If you do choose dark lenses over polarized, make sure that they provide UV protection. Dark lenses without UV protection are actually worse for your eyes than not wearing sunglasses at all because they can cause your pupils to dilate, which allow more UV rays to enter the sensitive part of your eyes.

Four Benefits of Polarized Lenses

1. Polarized lenses have a special filter that blocks glare and helps improve overall visibility in bright sunlight. They also provide better visual clarity and contrast in sunny conditions, which can enhance your perception of colors and details.

2. Another benefit of polarized lenses is that they make it easier to see below the surface of the water, which may be useful when boating or fishing. This is because they reduce the reflection of light from the water that can interfere with your vision.

3. Polarized lenses also reduce eye strain for enhanced comfort. By blocking glare, they prevent your eyes from squinting or getting tired when exposed to bright light for long periods of time.

4. Finally, polarized lenses offer superior visual clarity when in dark and shady areas. They can help you see better in situations where there is a lot of contrast between light and dark, such as when driving through a tunnel or under a bridge.

How to Test if My Sunglasses Are Polarized

1. There are a few ways to tell if your sunglasses are polarized or not. One way is to test them on a reflective surface that produces glare when light is shining on it, such as a mirror or a shiny tabletop. Hold your sunglasses about 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) in front of your eyes and rotate them upwards to a 60 degree angle. If the lens appears darker or you can no longer see through them, they are polarized.

2. Another way is to test them on a computer screen. Hold your sunglasses up to a computer screen and rotate them 90 degrees. If the lens becomes dark or you can no longer see through them, they are polarized.

3. A third way is to compare your sunglasses very carefully to another pair that you know is polarized. Look through both lenses at the same time and rotate one pair slightly. If the lenses become dark or you can no longer see through them, they are both polarized.

How to Protect My Polarized Lenses

There are some ways to protect your polarized lenses from damage and maintain their effectiveness.

1. One way is to choose higher quality polarized lenses that have a thicker film coating laminated between two layers of lens material. This protects the film from being scratched and provides more glare reduction.

2. Another way is to look for polarized lenses that also have a UV protection coating. This will block harmful ultraviolet rays from reaching your eyes and prevent sun damage.

3. A third way is to store your polarized sunglasses in a case when not in use and avoid exposing them to extreme heat or cold. This will prevent the lenses from warping or cracking and keep them clean and clear.

CONCLUSION

High quality polarized lenses are a no brainer, for you and for your clients. 

All of our natural wooden sunglasses are fitted with industry-leading CR39 polarized lenses. That’s 100% UVA/UVB protection, superior scratch resistant and anti-glare coatings for crystal clear vision in even the brightest conditions.

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

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