The polarised sunglasses are considered to be the best choice for outdoor activities because they are designed to filter out horizontal light rays, which are commonly present on reflective surfaces such as snow, sand and water. They reduce glare, enhance contrast, improve clarity and help your eyes feel more relaxed in bright conditions. They block harsh light that reflects off water, roads and flat surfaces, making it easier to see clearly. If you are driving, walking or just staying near the water, you’ll have better visual comfort with polarised sunnies than with regular sunglasses.
What are polarised sunglasses?
Polarised sunglasses have a special filter/ film on their lenses that blocks intense reflected light, reducing glare. These specialised lenses are beneficial in places where direct sunlight gets bounced off surfaces like water, snow and roads. By cutting through the glare, polarised lenses offer more clear and comfortable vision, allowing you to see details with enhanced precision.
Benefits of wearing polarised sunglasses
1. Enhanced visual clarity
Polarised lenses offer superior visual clarity by filtering out reflected light and improving the contrast. This is particularly beneficial when engaging in activities such as boating, skiing, or driving, where glare can obscure your vision.
2. Reduces glare
Glare can be annoying, but it can also be unsafe, especially when you’re driving or operating some machinery. Polarised shades are designed to combat glare, making it easier to focus and remain alert.
3. Reduces eye strain
Prolonged exposure to bright, reflected light can lead to eye strain, headaches and discomfort. Polarised shades can provide a more relaxed viewing experience for the wearers. By reducing glare, they also eliminate the need for your eyes to constantly adjust to changing light conditions.
4. 100% UVA/B Protection
Polarised sunglasses offer 100% UVA/B protection, which is important for protecting your eyes against harmful ultraviolet rays. Extended exposure to UV rays can lead to serious eye conditions, such as cataracts and macular degeneration. With high-quality polarised sunnies, you can rest assured that your eyes will remain shielded from harmful UV rays even while engaging in outdoor activities like biking, snowboarding, fishing or driving.
5. Enhanced contrast
Polarised lenses enhance contrast and colour perception. This means that colours appear more vibrant and objects look clearer against their background. Improved contrast and colour perception can be really helpful for outdoor activities like hiking and fishing, where you need better depth and distance judgement.
Difference between polarised and non-polarised sunglasses?
The primary difference between polarised and non-polarised sunglasses is glare reduction. Non-polarised sunnies simply darken the view and do not reduce glare. On the contrary, polarised sunnies darken the view and reduce glare, providing a clear and comfortable view. Non-polarised sunglasses may help reduce eye strain to some extent by reducing the amount of light reaching your eyes, but not to the same extent as polarised sunglasses because of their specialised lenses.
Steps to check if your sunglasses are polarised
If you are wondering whether your sunglasses are polarised or not, here are a few things to can check to find out:
Look for a label
Check the label, leaflet, packaging and the insides of the temples of your sunglasses for information. Manufacturers usually mention these details either on the sunglasses or on the packaging.
Use a computer screen test
Hold your sunglasses in front of a computer screen and rotate them at a 90-degree angle. If the lenses become darker or block more light when you do that, they are likely polarised. It’s because polarisation can affect how light interacts with LCD screens.
Reflective surface test
Place your sunglasses over a reflective surface, like water or a shiny tabletop, that produces a noticeable glare. Hold your sunglasses roughly 6 to 8 inches from your eyes and observe the glare through one lens. Polarised lenses will noticeably reduce glare compared to non-polarised ones.
Run a test with two frames
Hold one pair of sunglasses in front of another and rotate one of them. If the view becomes very dark or almost black, both pairs are polarised. If not, they’re regular sunglasses.
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