In This Article
What are polarized lenses?
Polarized lenses eliminate or reduce reflected glare, meaning light that bounces off objects.
This glare is, with few exceptions, not useful. Besides being not useful, it is annoying due to causing extra eye strain, and also washes out colors and dulls the view by bathing it in a gloss of hazy light.
To be clear, you don’t need polarized lenses, as non-polarized lenses will work fine, but they are generally better at removing unwanted light and allowing you to feel more comfortable in bright sunlight. They are also not related to UV protection. Non-polarized lenses are just as UV-protective as polarized ones.
Reflected glare is especially bothersome near water, which is highly reflective, and around asphalt and metals. Because of this, it’s highly recommended to wear polarized lenses by bodies of water and while driving.
Removing this glare by itself enhances vision and color, even without adding any extra color-enhancing technology.
This is a major effect of polarized lenses. They will take away much of the reflected light in a scene: those bright patches on the road, and the top of your dashboard, reflections of the sky off other cars, or the water. The different colored objects in your field of view are going to look more distinct because you’re seeing more of the colored surface, and less of the light reflecting off them. In that sense, they boost contrast (between different objects) in both sunny and overcast situations.
Many of the best brands in sunglasses exclusively make polarized lenses. Maui Jim, Revo, Costa Del Mar, Bajio, and Kaenon only make polarized lenses. Brands like Serengeti, Smith, and Spy make most of their lenses polarized.
Fashion brands often do not. That is due to their sunglasses often being used indoors where there is little glare to eliminate, or because they aren’t designed to be worn in bright conditions for long anyway. Sometimes it is also done to cut costs, as polarized lenses do not change how the sunglasses look, the main draw of designer sunglasses.
Oakley and other sports brands have a mix, but for the most part, the non-water sports lenses are non-polarized and all other lenses have the option to be polarized. We will explain why.
Should you get polarized lenses?
The benefits of polarization are undeniable, and you should own at least one pair, if just for driving and water activities. The glare coming off the road or other vehicles can be unbearable at times, and being on or near the water without polarized lenses can be a blinding experience.
You should own at least one pair of polarized lenses. The question is if you should also own a non-polarized pair.
Why you should also get non-polarized sunglasses
There can be situations where having non-polarized lenses would be beneficial.
The five reasons to not get polarized lenses are:
Polarized lenses bother you when you wear them.
Your device's displays are impacted by them.
You are a pilot.
You are playing fast-paced sports.
You think the glare makes things look better (I’m serious about this)
Let’s go through each of those one by one.
Polarized lenses bother you when you wear them
This is actually fairly common with cheap pairs of sunglasses and very rare with premium ones. Cheap pairs can have the filters applied unevenly on the lens or the angle of the filter on one lens not the same as the other. This would be an issue for almost anyone.
More inherently, the tilt and angle of your head to the glare will change whether you see it or not. If you are looking straight the glare is gone. If you tilt your head to the side you will see the glare. That can annoy some people, and even cause some people to be unbalanced, but it’s not common. It’s far more common to be annoyed and fatigued from the excess glare with non polarized lenses. Polarized lenses are usually more comfortable.
Polarization can also cause issues with depth perception, as will be discussed more in the sports section, but that shouldn’t play a role here. The feeling of imbalance that can happen is generally from poor application or from the changing glare through head movements, not from depth perception problems.
Though this is rare and I would caution against anyone assuming they are in this category until they try polarized lenses from a few different premium brands in different frame shapes, I cannot discount that for some people this really is an issue and should be mentioned. From my conversations with opticians, it seems around 5% of people have some level of discomfort from this effect.
They Impact Your Device's Displays
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screens, such as those on smartphones, tablets, and some car dashboards, use polarized light to display images. Inside these screens, light is polarized in specific directions to control how it passes through the liquid crystal layers and reaches your eyes, creating the visible image.
If the polarization filter in your sunglasses aligns with the polarization of the light from the LCD screen, the light will pass through, and you can see the display normally.
However, if the polarization filter in your sunglasses is oriented at a different angle (typically 90 degrees) to the polarization of the light from the screen, the polarized light from the screen is blocked by the lenses. This can make the screen appear dark or completely black.
This interaction can cause visibility issues, making it difficult to read screens on digital devices while wearing polarized sunglasses, especially if the angle of polarization is not aligned.
This can be a problem with certain screens, for example, GPS displays. However, it is not as much of a problem as it was.
Modern smartphones often use IPS or OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) displays, which handle light polarization differently than older LCD screens. IPS displays provide better viewing angles and more consistent color and brightness. OLED displays emit light directly from each pixel without the need for backlighting, reducing the reliance on polarized light.
Some modern devices use circular polarizers instead of linear polarizers. Circular polarizers can mitigate the issue of cross-polarization with polarized sunglasses because they affect light in a way that isn't as easily blocked by polarized lenses.
Modern smartphones have significantly higher brightness and resolution, which can help counteract the dimming effect caused by polarized lenses. Even if some light is blocked, the display remains legible due to the increased intensity of the remaining light. iPhones do not have much of a problem anymore.
Smartphone manufacturers are aware of the issues with polarized lenses and have made design adjustments to minimize these problems. I wouldn't hold back from getting polarized lenses for this reason unless it is a serious impediment to your functionality, but it may be worth getting a second non-polarized pair if you are often dealing with this issue.
You are a pilot
Pilots are generally advised against wearing polarized lenses for several reasons related to safety and operational efficiency. Here are the key points:
Instrument Readability
This is one of the two main issues. Many aircraft cockpits are equipped with LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screens and other digital displays, which are essential for navigation, communication, and monitoring flight systems. Polarized lenses can interfere with the visibility of these screens, causing them to appear dark or completely black when viewed from certain angles. This can make it difficult for pilots to read important information quickly and accurately.
The second critical reason is that aircraft cockpits often have multiple layers of glass, including heated glass panels to prevent ice formation. Polarized lenses can create patterns or distortions when looking through these multi-layered or specially treated glass surfaces, potentially obstructing the pilot’s view.
Some glare can be important visual cues for pilots. For instance, sunlight reflecting off another aircraft or objects on the ground can be critical for situational awareness and avoiding collisions.
Polarized lenses can sometimes reduce the visibility of haze and other atmospheric conditions. Pilots need to be able to see and interpret weather phenomena accurately to make informed decisions.
In summary, while polarized lenses offer significant benefits for many outdoor activities, their potential to obscure critical information in the cockpit makes them unsuitable for aviation. Non-polarized lenses are preferred to ensure pilots have a clear and accurate view of their instruments and surroundings at all times.
You are playing fast-paced sports
Polarized lenses can affect depth perception under certain conditions, and understanding why involves considering how polarization interacts with light and visual cues. Here’s a detailed explanation:
Reduction of Reflective Glare
Polarized lenses are designed to reduce glare from reflective surfaces by blocking horizontally polarized light. This can be beneficial in many situations, such as driving or being near water. However, glare often provides visual cues about the distance and position of objects. For instance, reflections on water or shiny surfaces can help the brain judge depth. By eliminating these reflections, polarized lenses can sometimes reduce the amount of visual information available, potentially affecting depth perception.
Effect on the Eyes’ Ability to Merge Images
Depth perception relies heavily on binocular vision, where the brain merges two slightly different images from each eye to create a single three-dimensional image. Polarized lenses can occasionally affect how light reaches each eye, particularly if there are inconsistencies in the polarization. This can disrupt the brain’s ability to merge these images properly, leading to issues with depth perception.
This is why Oakley and other sports sunglasses brands make most of their sports lenses non-polarized. For a novice, the difference in depth perception is not usually a problem but for professionals even a slight change can be very problematic. I usually wear non-polarized when I play tennis, but it is not a problem when I occasionally play with polarized.
Many people who normally see this issue with polarized lenses often report it is not an issue with premium lens brands like Maui Jim, due to the clarity and contrast making up for any depth perception challenges.
Polarized lenses can also be an issue for snow sports and icy driving.
While you may think polarized lenses would be beneficial for highly reflective snow conditions, this glare can actually be useful. Glare from ice patches on the road or trails can alert you to slippery, dangerous areas. Polarized lenses can reduce this glare, making it harder to see these potentially hazardous spots. I will usually wear polarized in snow because of the glare, but I wouldn't for skiing. Almost all snow goggles are non-polarized.
You think the glare makes things look better
This is the most controversial reason to go with non-polarized.
Some claim that along with cutting glare, polarization kills a lot of the "liveliness". That the lenses take away from the visual experience making some surroundings look less "lifelike". They like being able to see things the way they are naturally, reflections intact.
For these people, polarized lenses kill some of the surface detail along with the reflections. The claim is that non-polarized colors are more saturated, and things just look more "real" because they have reflections.
Another thing is that polarizing filters are basically gray. And they will usually make things look more gray through a color-tinted lens. A non-polarized lens of the same color will be more saturated and vivid. So non-polarized color tinted lenses are going to make things more saturated and intense.
I find this very unpersuasive.
Though of course it is subjective and everyone can have their preference, I think there are convincing reasons to disregard this argument.
First of all, I hate glare. I love seeing more of a colored surface, and less of the light reflecting off it. In that sense, polarized lenses boost contrast (between different objects) in both sunny and overcast situations. Glare is just blocking me from seeing what is underneath it, and removing color that would otherwise be there.
Secondly, the best lenses in the world are polarized. Maui Jim, Costa, Serengeti, and similar brands that make the most spectacular lenses are either always or mostly polarized. Besides these brands and their engineers knowing what they are doing, you can try them on in comparison to any non-polarized lens and see for yourself which you prefer. These brands will win out 99 times out of 100.
Thirdly, it is true that polarized lenses are a bit greyer than the same lens without a polarized filter, but why would you limit yourself to the same lens of the same brand if the tint isn't to your liking? If the polarized Persol green lens is too grey for you, you do not have to stick with the non-polarized green lens from Persol. You can get another green lens from a brand that tints the lens, with polarization, to your preference.
Conclusion
In summary, polarized lenses offer significant advantages in reducing glare and enhancing visual clarity, especially in environments with reflective surfaces like water and asphalt. However, they are not universally ideal for every situation. The decision to use polarized versus non-polarized sunglasses depends on specific needs and activities.
Polarized lenses are highly beneficial for:
Driving, where they can significantly reduce glare from the road and other vehicles.
Water activities, where they eliminate the intense reflections from the surface of the water, allowing the wearer to see beneath the water.
General outdoor use in bright sunlight to reduce eye strain and enhance visual comfort.
Non-polarized lenses might be preferable when:
Polarized lenses cause discomfort or visual disturbances.
You frequently use digital devices with LCD screens, as polarized lenses can interfere with screen visibility.
You are a pilot, as polarized lenses can obscure important instrument displays and distort views through multi-layered glass.
Engaging in fast-paced sports where depth perception is crucial.
You prefer the natural appearance of glare and reflections for a more vivid visual experience.
Ultimately, having both polarized and non-polarized sunglasses allows you to choose the best option for any given situation, ensuring optimal visual performance and comfort. I recommend everyone own at least one pair of polarized lenses.