What is a polarized lens and why would you need one?

You may have heard of polarized lenses, but you may not have. What are they? Why are they important?

According to the Valley Eyecare Center in Phoenix, polarized lenses block out light rays that normally enter your eyes after the light reflects off surfaces. The light comes in through a filter, so the person wearing the polarized lenses sees that light differently.

The Valley Eyecare Center says that polarized lenses are beneficial in four ways.

Glare reduction

The Valley Eyecare Center says polarized lenses are important because they make your eyes safer by reducing glare. According to the center, the polarized lenses block reflections, which make your eyes more comfortable and makes you able to see things without squinting.

Easier vision into water

The Valley Eyecare Center writes that polarized lenses make seeing into water easier as well and that outdoor sportsmen love polarized lenses for that reason. The center says that without polarized lenses, people only see reflections from the water’s surface of everything around the water, which screws up your vision into the water. Again, the blocking of reflections allows the person to see into the water.

 

Cut down on straining your eyes

The Valley Eyecare Center also says that wearing polarized lenses will cut down on your eyestrain. By reducing the times you would have to squint, you not only cut down on straining your eyes, but the center says you also cut down on the likelihood of eye redness, irritation, fatigue, and headaches.

 

Seeing better

Finally, the Valley Eyecare Center says that wearing polarized lenses will improve vision overall. The center says that polarized lenses will bring out colors and images like you haven’t seen before and will allow you to see cleanly and crisply. The Valley Eyecare Center says that most people will find that polarized lenses clarify their daytime vision and make it better.

Times to not wear polarized lenses

The Valley Eyecare Center recommends not wearing polarized lenses when you are driving at night, if you pilot an airplane, when you ski downhill, and when you watch LCD screens.