Why Polarized Lenses?

By Mike Gansen, Owner

What Polarized Sunglasses Can Do That Other Sunglasses Can't
There are sunglasses, and there are polarized sunglasses. So what's the difference, and why do polarized lenses often cost more?
Polarization is a special lens technology that reduces reflective glare far more effectively than regular sunglass lenses.
Reflective glare is caused by “hot spots” of extra-bright light that occur when sunlight bounces off certain surfaces particularly snow, water, glass and metal. To a lesser extent, reflective glare can occur from light reflecting off sand, concrete and other surfaces, too.
Regular sunglass lenses can't eliminate the glare caused by these hot spots because they don't have the ability to selectively block the specific orientation of light rays that form these reflections. But polarized lenses can.
What enables polarized lenses to reduce glare more effectively is an ultra-thin film embedded within the lens material. Because of how molecules are aligned within this film, it can selectively filter out those light rays most responsible for reflective glare.
Like regular sunglass lenses, polarized lenses are available in a wide variety of lens materials and tints. And all polarized lenses block 100% of the sun's harmful UV rays.
Though they're a great choice for many outdoor activities, due to the highly reflective nature of snow and water, polarized lenses are particularly superior to regular sunglass lenses for wintertime sports, boating, fishing and spending time at the beach.