Everything You Need To Know About Polarized Sunglasses

Your eyes are as significant as any of your body parts. It is why it is vital to take care of them every time. There are several ways to improve your eye health, from eating foods enriched with essential vitamins to wearing important accessories like sunglasses.

The primary reason why these eyewears were made is to keep the sun's harmful rays from damaging the eyesight. Eye experts have been using a wide variety of significant technology to solve such problems. It may include using different coatings in sunglasses like anti-reflective coatings, UV coatings, and even polarization.

What Are Polarized Sunglasses?

Polarized sunglasses are a particular type of eyewear that block glare from the reflected light. It is vital to wear these eye accessories near bodies of water, sand, or even snow since these are the areas where you can find too much glare. The primary purpose of polarized sunglasses is glare reduction, which benefits light-sensitive people and individuals who had undergone cataract surgery. Even to drivers, polarized eyewears are also beneficial. It is because it reduces glare caused by flat surfaces such as the hood of vehicles and other light-coloured pavements.

How Do Polarized Sunglasses Work? 

When the sun strikes up in the sky, it scatters sunlight everywhere. The problem is when it reaches a flat surface where the light is reflected. Usually, the reflected light beam travels in a horizontal direction which creates a dangerous intensity of light. Without the use of polarized lenses, you may not only experience discomfort in your eyes, but it may also affect the visibility of the things around you.

Since polarized sunglasses change the way you see things, it is essential to know when you should wear them and when you should not. For instance, polarized lenses should not be worn when viewing images produced by liquid crystal displays (LCDs), which can be found on your smartphones and automatic teller machines (ATMs).

Essential Tips About Polarized Sunglasses

Aside from knowing the fact that polarized eyewears are used for glare reduction, there are essential things to know about these sunglasses. Here are some points that you need to know. 

#1 Polarized sunglasses work well with progressive lenses. As mentioned a while ago, polarized eyewears are used for glare reduction. It cannot be used for other purposes unless you accompany it with other lens coatings. For instance, you can add UV coatings to the polarized lenses, which can protect your eyes from UV rays and glare. For people over the age of 40, it is highly recommended to use polarized sunglasses with progressive lenses. The said lenses help people see clearly at all distances, eliminating the bifocal lines. Since ageing affects vision, wearing progressive lenses can help the elderly to see things. 

#2 Polarized eyewears match perfectly with photochromic lenses. If you are the type of person who goes in and out of the sun, then it is ideal for wearing polarized sunglass with photochromic lenses. This type of eyewear is often referred to as "light-adaptive lenses" or "variable tint lenses." It is because photochromic lenses are clear indoors and automatically darkens when exposed to sunlight.

#3 Avoid wearing polarized sunglasses at night. Since polarized lenses block some light, it is not recommended to wear them during nighttime or when there is limited light. Also, these sunglasses have no night vision properties so you might find it difficult to see in the dark.

#4 Ask the eye experts for the best-polarized sunglasses. Every individual has distinct needs when it comes to improving eye health. The best tip that you could follow is to consult an eye care professional who can give you the proper advice when using sunglasses. You can ask for a sunglass that will suit your specific needs. For example, you may request for a polarized sunglass with UV coating if you want to keep your eyes away from UV rays. Another option is to opt for an anti-reflective coating. It can be applied at the back of the lenses to eliminate reflections.

Common Myths About Polarized Sunglasses

There are some misconceptions about polarized sunglasses that people should debunk. Knowing the right information about these eyewears is imperative since this can help to avoid false beliefs. Below are the common myths about polarized lenses.

#1 Polarized sunglasses are expensive. It is quite challenging to determine if a polarized sunglass is cheap or costly. It is because the price of any eyewear depends on the brand, coatings applied, and materials used. For instance, sunglasses use different types of frames which can also affect their price. Some manufacturers use metal and plastic while others use a more sustainable material which is wood. When buying eyewear, make sure to check the tags that say if it is polarized or not. You may also pick something with UV coatings to have complete eye protection. 

#2 Polarized sunglasses are the best eyewears for snow skiers. Polarized lenses are indeed helpful when worn around snowy areas. It benefits skiers because these eyewears reduce glare. However, it is vital to be aware of the pros and cons of wearing polarized sunglasses in icy fields. Take note that combining a polarizing filter with darkening sunglasses can be dangerous when skiing. It is because you may be unable to distinguish significant snow details such as ice patches and small moguls. To avoid accidents, make sure to wear the right polarized filter that can block snow glare. 

#3 Thicker glasses are better for polarization. The standard thickness of polarized sunglasses is .75 millimetre and 1.1 millimetres. Know that both have the same polarization filter. Although the thicker lenses can provide you with better impact resistance, you are not guaranteed that it is the best polarized sunglass.

Polarized sunglass is just one of the types of eyewears that you could wear to protect your eyes from the sun. Knowing how it can help you is important in improving your eye health. To choose the best sunglass, try to visit your eye doctor to ask proper guidance.