Let’s talk about polarized lenses. When you go to buy a pair of sunglasses, besides choosing the shape you like or that suits you best, you will usually be asked whether you want them polarized or not. Sunglasses certainly add style and say a lot about your personality, but we should never forget that they are also there to protect our eyes. That is why it is important to check whether the lens is certified, what kind of sun filter it has and whether it is polarized.
But what exactly are polarized lenses? In this post we tell you everything you need to know to make the right choice when buying sunglasses with polarized lenses.
What are polarized lenses?
At first you might think that polarized lenses are simply lenses that block more sunlight, and some people even confuse them with photochromic lenses. Nothing could be further from the truth: polarized lenses are lenses that remove or neutralise the horizontal glare caused by the sun.
For example, when you are driving, this type of lens removes the horizontal glare bouncing off the road, and the same happens at the beach or in the mountains. That is why polarized lenses not only give you full protection against UV rays, they also make colours look better, because the colour you see is sharp and is not distorted by reflected sunlight.
Advantages of polarized lenses
These lenses have several advantages. The main one is visual comfort when you are out in the sun, but there are others too:
- Sharper vision and better colour contrast.
- Glare-free vision.
- Natural colour perception.
- Suitable for people who are sensitive to light.
- They can be made to your prescription.
Things to keep in mind about polarized lenses
- Car windscreens often already have a polarizing filter, so if you drive with polarized lenses you may not notice much of a difference inside the car.
- As we have mentioned, these lenses work on horizontal reflections (tarmac, sea, snow or pavement), but they will not remove every reflection, for example the reflection from a pane of glass such as a shop window.
- When it comes to snow sports, polarized glasses can play tricks on you, because you lose some of the visual cues about the texture of the surface, for example where there is ice.
In short, the optical industry has come a long way in recent years to adapt to the needs of our eyes. As a result, polarized lenses now come in a wide variety of colours, so you can choose the one you like best or the one that matches your style.
At Lens4Glasses we have a team of professionals ready to help and advise you, so you can choose the lenses that suit you and your style best. And because we fit the new lenses in your own frame, you can turn your favourite sunglasses into polarized ones, with or without a prescription. We have something for every taste!