If you’re looking for sunglasses that offer superior protection against the sun’s harmful UV rays, look no further than polarized lenses. But what are the differences between polarized and non polarized lenses?
Aside from their glare-reducing capabilities, polarized lenses also improve clarity of vision. That makes them the perfect option for outdoor activities and highway driving during the day.
Reduces Glare
If you’re planning to spend the day outdoors on a sunny, bright, or cloudy day in San Diego, CA, Carmel Valley, CA, La Jolla, or anywhere else near Southern California, polarized sunglasses can help reduce glare and increase visibility. They reduce eye strain and improve visual acuity on a sun-filled day, which makes them especially important for drivers.
Polarized lenses have a chemical filter that reduces glare by only allowing vertically oriented light to pass through them. Most of the glare that you see comes from horizontal surfaces like roads and large bodies of water, where the sun’s light reflects off in a single, concentrated direction.
This glare can be uncomfortable and can make it hard to see things clearly, particularly when it’s raining. It can also interfere with driving safety, as it can obstruct your view of road signs and other reflective surfaces.
Besides reducing glare, polarized lenses can also enhance color and contrast. Anglers and hikers can better see fish or trees, and pilots may be able to read their instruments more easily without glare.
One disadvantage of polarized lenses, however, is that they can cause a glare-like effect when viewing LCD screens, such as those found in your car’s dashboard control panel, your cell phone display, or an ATM cash machine. This can cause a blurry or unclear image, and it can even cause vertigo.
Non polarized lenses, on the other hand, absorb all light, including polarized light. The result is that the glasses will look darker than they actually are. This is especially true for dark frames and sunglasses with thin frames.
The cost of a pair of non-polarized sunglasses is much lower than a pair of polarized sunglasses, so they’re often a more cost-effective option. This is because they’re easier to manufacture, so they don’t need to include special coatings or a high-quality optical lens.
Both types of lenses offer protection against UV rays, though polarized sunglasses are designed to work harder for that purpose. They also reduce glare, provide more color and contrast enhancement, and can help with depth perception.
Minimizes Color Distortion
A pair of polarized sunglasses is a must have for any outdoor enthusiast, whether you’re on the hunt for the perfect pair of shades or just looking to add a splash of color to your look. The latest models are made with durable polycarbonate lenses and offer both UVA/UVB protection as well as a variety of lens colors to suit your personal preferences.
Non polarized glasses also do their job well, particularly when it comes to reducing glare from the sun, water, snow, glass or any other reflective surface you can think of. The best part is that they aren’t all that hard on your eyes. They are also less expensive than their polarized counterparts, making them a worthwhile investment if you’re a frequent flyer on the open road or a sun worshipper in the backyard.
To make sure you’re not buying the wrong kind of sunglasses, do a little research. This is especially important if you’re planning on wearing your new shades outdoors for long periods of time. If you’re not in the market for a whole new set of glasses, take a look at our wide selection of frames and lenses to find the perfect fit. You can even switch between pairs based on your current weather conditions.
Reduces Eye Strain
Whether you’re an avid fisherman, a skier or snowboarder, or just enjoy outdoor activities in general, non polarized sunglasses can reduce eye strain while you are outside. The lenses are made of a special chemical filter that blocks some of the light reflecting off surfaces such as snow, water, and glass.
This makes it easier to see the things you’re looking at and increases your safety while outdoors. It also helps you avoid glare, which can make driving and other activities more difficult.
The lenses are also good at reducing glare from other surfaces, such as windows and car roofs, so they can help you drive more safely on sunny days. They also reduce eye strain while doing sports like golf or hiking.
Another advantage of polarized lenses is that they help to minimize the amount of ultraviolet (UV) light your eyes receive from the sun, which can cause cataracts and other eye problems. You should always look for a pair of polarized lenses that offer full UV protection.
Polarized lenses can also reduce the amount of light that reflects off of screen displays. This is especially helpful for people who often have to look at their smartphone or laptop while they are out and about.
One downside of polarized sunglasses is that they can make screens appear darker than they actually are. This happens because screens emit horizontally polarized light, and polarized sunglasses don’t let that light reach your eyes.
You can test this by putting on your sunglasses and then trying to read an LCD screen such as a computer, tablet, or car dashboard. If you can see a rainbow in your line of vision, the glasses are likely polarized and can reduce the amount of glare from that screen.
If you are not sure, try testing your sunglasses on a reflective surface such as a metal table or counter. You should notice that glare is reduced even more, and you should also be able to see the details on your LCD screen.
You should also avoid wearing polarized sunglasses while you are operating heavy machinery and vehicles. This is because the sunglasses can impede your view of controls and other important things while you are working.
Easy to See LCD Screens
Polarized sunglasses block glare and improve your sight, but they can also make it difficult to see LCD screens. This is especially true if you need to use a screen regularly, such as when looking at your phone or computer.
Fortunately, non polarized sunglasses can be just as effective at cutting down glare and improving your sight. The key to seeing an LCD screen with non polarized sunglasses is simply to rotate your device 90 degrees while wearing them.
Your smartphone, tablet or other mobile device contains polarizing filters that work to block light waves from traveling horizontally. Similarly, the polarization in your sunglasses blocks light waves traveling vertically.
But, when your glasses block all except vertically polarized light waves, the light from your screen will be cut off entirely and the image on your screen will appear dark or black.
This is because when your lenses are polarized, the polarizing filters in them align with your screen’s filters in opposite directions. This causes your lens to block horizontally polarized light from your screen and the vertically polarized light from your screen will pass through, making it hard to read your LCD screen.
The solution is simple and relatively easy to do: rotate your device by 90 degrees while wearing your polarized sunglasses. Then, look at the screen with your sunglasses on.
Once you’ve done this, you can easily tell if your glasses are polarized. If the screen looks brighter while rotating them, you’re probably a polarized lens user. If it appears darker, you’re a non polarized user.
While this might sound silly, it can actually be very useful for testing the quality of your polarized sunglasses. If you can’t see anything on your screen when you’re wearing polarized sunglasses, the polarization is poor or you need to upgrade to a newer model.
Another way to test your polarized lenses is to remove the protective coating and see if you can still see anything on the screen. This is especially helpful if you’re looking at an older or less-modern smartphone or tablet, which usually don’t have a protective coating on their screen.