Polarized
sunglasses
are specially
designed to absorb
reflective solar glare. Solar glare is
reflected from flat surfaces like snow, ice, standing water and even
roadways.
These glasses are
designed to absorb up to 97% of the glare from such
surfaces.
Polarized sunglasses are essential
safety equipment for sportsmen,
boaters,
fishermen, skiers, motorcyclists and even car drivers.
When sunlight is reflected off of water
surfaces
or white snow it can create a tremendous reflective
glare. That is why
goggles
optics is so important for safety. I’m
sure you’ve even experienced the
annoying glare from long stretches of
road
while driving.
The human eye has a way of
blocking out certain
light optics
using the iris and filter optics. It
naturally becomes smaller when you
are in
bright light and larger when you are in dim or low light.
Unfortunately the iris doesn’t
respond well to
bright glare from the sun reflecting in all directions.
The eye doesn’t
know
whether to adjust for more or less light. That is why polarized
sunglasses
are
so beneficial.
Edwin H. Land invented optics polarized
around 1936. He
recognized
that ordinary light travels
in the form of waves that can vibrate in
all
directions. He understood that polarized light vibrates
in only one
direction. Generally, surfaces that
produce the worst
glare have horizontally polarized
light. So by knowing these facts Mr. Land
developed
optical lens that
allow the
light to vibrate in
only one direction. The optical lens, or sun glass
polarized, he invented are made to block out the
horizontal light
vibration and
reduce the glare.
Polarized lenses are now made
with using synthetic
plastic
such as CR-39 or polycarbonate. To
this
material a polarization filter is added. The filter is made of a
material that
allows the molecules
align vertically. Polarized sunglasses are great
for keeping
glare out of your eyes and also for
looking fashionable.
Typically, a good pair of polarized
sunglasses is more
expensive than non-polarized sunglasses.
But the money is well spent. Many sunglass
dealers will sell cheap
polarized sunglasses that are
nothing more than replicas of the
originals. You
can test polarized lens by rotating them in a particular
direction and
seeing
if the glare through the lens changes in its intensity in one direction
and
lessens
or disappears in the other direction. Be cautious of fake
polarized
sunglasses as they may in fact
damage your eyesight. It is always safer
to
invest a few more dollars in buying a genuine pair of
polarized
sunglasses than
subjecting
your eyes to potential damage.
Polarized sunglasses are
essential for anyone
suffering from
eye disorders who still want to enjoy
the wonders of the great outdoors. They
are also a necessity for those of us not
suffering from
eye ailments as a preventive measure. Polarized
sunglasses have
some distinct benefits for
outdoorsmen and sportsmen. There are some
real advantages using polarized
sunglasses and fishing.
As with most benefits there are some
drawbacks and
limitations associated with polarized
sunglasses. For instance, when
wearing
polarized sunglasses you may not be able to fully see
certain relief
features
on a snowy surface. This is because the
polarization process blocks
several of the light rays reflected back towards
you. In some situations this can be dangerous
such as when walking over
thin ice.
Another issue with polarized sunglasses is that they make
most LCDs
almost impossible
to see as they seem invisible from certain angles.
This occurs
because LCDs emit polarized
light.
Polarized sunglass lens truly
are an amazing
technology. But because of their
capabilities,
polarized sunglasses are typically priced higher than
ordinary
sunglasses. Cheaper varieties
can be found for around $25 and while the
price
of a reasonably good pair may go up to $300
or more depending on their
name brand.
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