Are polarised sunglasses good?
You probably know the importance of UV protection sunglasses to our eyes. UV rays from sunlight are harmful to our eyes and extended exposure to UV rays can lead to development of ocular diseases such as cataract, ARMD (age related macular degeneration), pterygium and so on.
As we all know sunlight scatters in all directions. However, when sunlight strikes on a flat surface, the light is reflected by the surface. At this time, the reflected light will travel in a uniform direction and most of the time they reflected horizontally. This phenomenon of light is known as polarization. The polarized light creates an annoying and sometimes dangerous intensity of light that results in glare and reduced visibility.
Annoying polarized light and sun glares create unnecessary troubles to people who spend a lot of time outdoors, on the road and especially near water. Thanks to the innovation of lens manufacturers, today we have polarized lenses that can solve this concern. Polarized lenses have a special filter that wipes out harsh glare in bright sun and reduces the haze.
Usually polarized lenses are available on polarized sunglasses. You may confuse between UV sunglasses and polarized sunglasses as some companies advertised them together. They are actually not the same thing. Polarized lens alone does not protect your eyes from UV rays.
How do polarized sunglasses benefit people? Are polarised sunglasses good?
As per mentioned above, polarized sunglasses are good as they provide superior glare protection among people who spend long times outdoors, on the road and near water, either work or leisure. The significant function of polarized sunglasses make them popular among the people who experienced eye strain and discomfort in bright sunlight.
For drivers, polarized sunglasses helps them to drive safer by reducing direct glare which is reflected from the hoods of vehicles and light-coloured pavement. This, in turn, improves drivers’ vision comfort and visibility. Furthermore, people who are sensitive to light or photophobia, particularly patients who have had cataract surgery will benefit from polarized sunglasses.
Moreover, as polarized sunglasses provide superior glare protection and reduce reflections off water, they significantly enhance your ability to see objects below the surface of a lake, stream or the ocean. On the other hand, polarized sunglasses with green tint offer extra contrast and colour even in most demanding light conditions. Thus, people who enjoy playing golf are able to enhance their ability to track their golf ball after hitting it, with polarized sunglasses on.
Though polarized sunglasses have a lot of advantages, there are still scenarios where polarized lenses are not advisable. For instance, people who enjoy skiing. During the downhill slope, they actually wish to see the bright reflective patches on the snow slope as those patches can alert you to icy conditions. Another example, pilots and boaters may experience black-out problems while looking at the LCD displays on instrument panels. This can be life-threatening when they have to make split-second decisions based on the information displayed on a screen.
Despite these exceptions, polarized sunglasses still offer whopping advantages when it comes to reducing eye strain and discomfort from bright sunlight.