What Are Polarized Sunglasses

Polarized sunglasses are specialized eyewear designed to reduce glare from surfaces such as water, snow, and glass. They work by incorporating a special filter that blocks intense reflected light, improving visual comfort and clarity. This makes them particularly beneficial for outdoor activities and environments with significant light reflection.

Revo’s lenses further enhance this technology with our NASA-based Light Management System™ (LMS), which manages the entire light spectrum to optimize vision. This system blocks harmful light while allowing beneficial light, reducing glare and enhancing clarity.

Shop Polarized Sunglasses

How Polarized Lenses Work

Polarized lenses function by utilizing the principle of light polarization to reduce glare. When light reflects off horizontal surfaces like water, snow, or roads, it often becomes horizontally polarized, causing intense glare that can overwhelm the eyes and impair vision. Polarized lenses are designed with a vertical filter that blocks these horizontal light waves, allowing only vertical light to pass through. This significantly reduces glare and helps reduce eye strain.

High-quality polarized lenses typically use a “sandwich” construction where the polarized film is placed between two outer layers of lens material, such as plastic or glass, protecting the film from damage. By filtering out glare, polarized lenses improve color perception and provide a clearer and more comfortable viewing experience.

Benefits of Polarized Sunglasses

Polarized sunglasses offer a range of benefits that enhance visual comfort and safety, especially in bright environments with significant glare. Here are the key advantages:

Improved Visual Comfort by Reducing Glare: Polarized lenses reduce the intense glare caused by reflected horizontal light, which can overwhelm the eyes and impair vision, particularly in sunny conditions.
Enhanced Contrast and Clarity: By filtering out horizontal light waves, polarized lenses improve visual clarity and contrast, making colors appear more vivid and true to life.
Reduced Eye Strain and Fatigue: Constant exposure to glare can lead to eye strain and fatigue. Polarized sunglasses help alleviate these symptoms by minimizing glare, making them ideal for prolonged outdoor activities.
Better Visual Performance During Activities: Activities such as driving, fishing, and sports benefit greatly from the reduced glare and improved visual clarity provided by polarized lenses. This enhances safety and performance by allowing for better visibility.
Increased Safety Due to Clearer Vision: Clearer vision, free from the distractions of glare, contributes to overall safety in various situations, such as driving and engaging in outdoor sports.

The Best Polarized Sunglasses For Men

Polarized vs Non-Polarized Lenses

Feature	Polarized Lenses	Non-Polarized Lenses
Glare Reduction	Yes	No
Visual Comfort	High	Moderate
Contrast Enhancement	Enhanced	Standard
Ideal for Outdoor Sports	Yes	Limited
Screen Viewing Difficulty	Possible	No issues

To determine if your sunglasses are polarized, try this simple test: look at a reflective surface through the lenses and rotate them. If the glare reduces or changes, your lenses are polarized. For a detailed guide, check out this article on how to tell if your sunglasses are polarized.

Ideal Environments for Polarized Sunglasses

Water sports: Reduces glare from water surfaces, improving visibility.
Winter sports: Cuts through the glare from snow and ice, enhancing contrast.
Driving: Minimizes glare from the road and other vehicles, increasing safety.
Fishing: Allows for better visibility beneath the water surface.
Outdoor activities: General reduction of eye strain and improved visual clarity.

Keeping your sunglasses clean is essential to maintain their effectiveness, especially in environments prone to dirt and smudges. For more information on how to clean polarized sunglasses, refer to this detailed article.

Choosing the Right Polarized Sunglasses

When selecting polarized sunglasses, consider the following factors:

Lens color: Different colors provide varying levels of contrast and visual perception. For example, gray lenses are good for general use, while brown lenses enhance contrast.
UV protection: Ensure the lenses offer 100% UV protection to safeguard your eyes from harmful ultraviolet rays.
Frame style: Choose a frame that fits well and suits your face shape and lifestyle.
Personal needs: Consider specific requirements like prescription lenses or specialized coatings for additional benefits.

If fishing is your passion, explore our guide on how to choose the right sunglasses for fishing.

Potential Drawbacks

While polarized sunglasses offer many benefits, they also come with some potential drawbacks that users should consider:

Difficulty in Reading LCD Screens: Polarized lenses can make it difficult to see LCD screens clearly, which is problematic for activities that involve frequent screen use, such as flying or using digital instruments in vehicles.
Not Suitable for Low-Light Conditions: These lenses are less effective in low-light conditions, such as dawn, dusk, or during overcast days, where they can reduce overall visibility.
Higher Cost Compared to Non-Polarized Lenses: Polarized sunglasses generally cost more than non-polarized ones. The additional expense is due to the specialized coating and manufacturing process that provides glare reduction.
Possible Color Distortion in Certain Conditions: In some situations, polarized lenses can cause color distortion or make it difficult to distinguish between shades, which can be disorienting for certain activities, such as skiing or snowboarding.

Despite these drawbacks, polarized sunglasses remain highly effective for reducing glare and enhancing visual comfort in bright conditions.