To get polarised lenses or not?
Now that is the question!
That’s the question on many minds when shopping for new eyewear with UV protection!
In general, South Africans like to be seen as untouchable sun worshippers, often spending hours and hours at the beach, on the golf course, or fishing on the weekend. The right pair of sunglasses makes all the difference.
While some people are well aware of the advantages of polarized sunglasses, others aren’t quite sure what the fuss is about. So, let’s clear things up and look at the facts about polarized lenses.
shedding light, literally
Polarized lenses reduce glare from horizontal surfaces like roads, water, sand, and glass. This blinding glare happens when light reflects off these smooth surfaces, creating glare through intense horizontal light waves or horizontal waves that strain your eyes.
Using a special lens treatment, polarized sunnies filter out these harmful rays, giving you a crisp visual experience without the eye strain, blurry vision, or headaches that come from squinting in bright conditions and bright sunlight.
When you wear polarized lenses, images may appear slightly darker, but this doesn’t affect colour contrast or visual clarity. In fact, many people find they can see colours more vividly and enjoy better depth perception and enhanced visual acuity. The special filter in these lenses blocks horizontal light while allowing vertical light to pass through. So next time you’re outdoors, enjoy the visual comfort, knowing your eyes are protected.
Polarized lenses:
Block blinding glare and harsh reflections
Reduce eye strain and visual noise
a visual
compromise
a visual
compromise
However, there is another side to the story.
Many people wearing polarized lenses struggle to see LCD screens like ATM displays, car dashboards, cellphone screens and other digital devices. The reason for this is that many liquid crystal display screens also have a built-in polarized filter to reduce glare, and combined with the lenses on your sunglasses, the two filters cancel each other out, making the screen look dark.
But once you’re aware of this, accept it, smile, and know that your polarized shades are doing their job!
It’s time to get
off the fence!
It’s time to get
off the fence!
Like anything in life, if you don’t protect your eyes adequately, you become vulnerable to the consequences. Cataracts, cancer, tumours, vision loss and blindness are just a few of the harmful effects of sun exposure and UV light.
Photokeratitis is another lesser-known condition that may occur. When you spend too long outdoors, the harmful UVA and UVB rays can cause temporary blindness, and in extreme cases, it can last a long time! Think of it as sunburn on your eyes! But for this condition, unfortunately, there is no cooling after-sun lotion you can apply.
At Vision Works, we want you to love your eyes and take care of them in the best way possible.
If you are concerned or just want to know more about sun damage to your
eyes, contact your nearest Vision Works Optometrist to make an
appointment today.
