How to Tell if Sunglasses are Polarized? The Answer is Here!
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Sunglasses protect our eyes from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Nevertheless, not all sunglasses are made equal. Among the various types, polarized sunglasses offer unique benefits. Their benefits go beyond UV protection. In this article, we'll explore polarized lenses' advantages and how to identify them. As well as when to choose polarized or non-polarized lenses.
What Are Polarized Lenses?
Polarized lenses have a special coating that lessens glare from reflective surfaces. Such as water, snow, and glass. This feature improves contrast, lessens eye strain, and provides clearer vision. They're great for outdoor activities like fishing and driving on sunny days. Because everything looks more precise and enjoyable by putting them on.
Advantages of Polarized Lenses
1. Glare Reduction: Polarized lenses minimize reflected light, improving visibility in bright conditions. These eyewear are beneficial for driving on sunny days. The user can see the road and other cars more simply.
2. Enhanced Contrast: They strengthen color contrast, making it unchallenging to distinguish objects.
3. Reduced Eye Strain: Polarized lenses decrease eye tiredness by blocking intense reflections. They allow people to see comfortably and feel less tired, especially if the user wears them long.
How Do Polarized Lenses Work?
Polarized lenses have a special layer that works like a magic filter to block certain kinds of light. Imagine a window with mini blinds. Only the light that goes through the open slats of the blinds can pass through; all other light is blocked. The special chemical on polarized lenses acts the same way. It blocks some sunlight from getting through. Therefore, only certain light reaches people's eyes.
Because the lenses filter out a lot of the bright, reflected light (glare), the world might look darker through them. Nonetheless, recognizing details has become much more transparent and more manageable. Polarized lenses make everything look sharper, particularly on sunshiny days.
How to Tell if Sunglasses are Polarized
Polarized sunglasses decrease glare from reflective surfaces like water, roads, and glass. To determine if the eyewear is polarized, you can use these simple methods:
◆ Method 1: Using an LCD Screen
- Find an LCD Screen: Use a device with an LCD screen, such as a computer monitor, smartphone, or calculator.
- Look Through the Lenses: Hold the sunglasses before the screen and slowly tilt them to a 60-degree angle.
- Observe the Screen: If the sunglasses are polarized, the screen will appear to darken or turn black as you tilt them. This happens since polarized lenses block certain light waves, and LCD screens use filters that change the direction of light. The combination causes the screen to darken or even go completely black.
◆ Method 2: The Overlapping Lens Test
- Overlap Two Polarized Lenses: Hold two pairs of sunglasses with polarized lenses about 1–2 inches apart.
- Rotate One Pair by 90 Degrees: Slowly rotate one pair while keeping the other still. Once the lenses are at a 90-degree angle to each other, they should darken or nearly turn black.
- Interpret the Results: If you see the lenses become darker, it confirms both pairs are polarized. If there is no change in darkness, one or both lenses are not polarized. This test works as polarized lenses have filters that block light traveling in specific directions. When two lenses are turned at 90 degrees to each other, the filters block out most light.
◆ Method 3: Test on a Reflective Surface
- Find a Reflective Surface: Use a mirror, reflective tabletop, or shiny, flat surface.
- Create Glare: Shine a flashlight or use overhead lights to create a glare on the surface.
- Look Through the Lenses: Hold the sunglasses slightly away from the face and tilt them at a 60-degree angle left and right while looking at the glare.
- Check for Glare Reduction: The sunglasses are polarized if the glare significantly decreases or disappears while looking through the lenses. If there is no change, the lenses are not polarized.
By using these simple tests, users can quickly determine if the eyewear is polarized, confirming they provide optimal protection and glare reduction for the eyes.
Polarized vs. Non-Polarized: Which Should You Choose?
Are polarized lenses better? What are the disadvantages of polarized glasses? While polarized lenses bring many benefits, they are not applicable for all situations. Here are situations and advice on what time should choose polarized or non-polarized glasses, as well as their differences.
When to Choose Polarized Lenses?
1. Water Activities:
It is ideal for skiing, fishing, and boating, where reflected light from water is familiar.
2. Golfing:
Polarized lenses lessen the sun's strong light on the grass.
3. Driving:
Decreases reflected light from wet roads and car hoods. But if the car has LCDs, try not to wear these sunglasses while driving.
4. Snowy environment:
Snow causes glare, so wearing polarized eyewear is usually a good choice.
When to Choose Non-Polarized Lenses?
1. General UV Protection:
UV protection is often sufficient for everyday wear.
2. Indoor Use:
Non-polarized lenses are better for indoor environments. Since they do not alter color perception or lower brightness.
3. When looking at LCD monitors:
One downside of polarized glasses is that wearing them will be hard to see phone or computer screens. The screens may look dark or blurry while wearing these glasses, particularly if you look at them from the side.
4. At night:
It is recommended to wear non-polarized lenses at night. Since polarized lenses make things look darker, they are not recommended for nighttime or when one needs to observe clearly. Even the ones that aren't very dark still have a slightly grey color.
To sum up, when it comes to protecting the eyes from the sun, polarized lenses don't offer more UV protection than regular 100% UV lenses. However, wearing them makes things more transparent, and these lenses decrease eye strain. Getting polarized may be a good idea if you often squint, even when wearing sunglasses.
On the other hand, non-polarized lenses are the way to go for those who prefer eyeglasses with a more natural view. It's important to note that polarized glasses make things look darker, and colors may appear different. Also, polarized lenses cause visibility and safety issues while using LCD screens outdoors.
Wooly - Leading Polarized And Non-Polarized Sunglasses Manufacturer
Today, we have shared knowledge of polarized sunglasses and lenses. Polarized sunglasses lower reflected light and improve vision in bright, reflective environments. However, choosing the right type is essential based on personal needs and activities.
Wooly provides a diverse range of high-quality polarized and non-polarized sunglasses. We focus on developing new and intelligent ways to design our glasses. We make sure to do it in a way that's good for the environment and the people who work with us. Explore our collection to find the perfect pair. For more information and product recommendations, please do not hesitate to contact us.
▲Check out our flip-up polarized fishing glasses!