We want what is best for our eyes to protect them from sun damage. Did you know that the most important thing about sunglasses is the UV protection. Choose sunglasses from a brand you trust to provide 100% UVA and UVB protection. Polarized lenses have a filter that block out glare but do not protect your eyes any more from UV exposure. The polarized filter is blocking out the glare from horizontal surfaces. It uses lens technology and specific filters to block out rays of light bouncing off horizontal surfaces and allows all other light to pass. This reduces the glare from wet road and water surfaces. This glare reduction makes it slightly darker which allows you to see more details. It also makes it easier to see past the glare on water surfaces so that you can see through the water, which is especially important for fishing. The benefits of polarized lenses are beneficial for people who are going to be wearing their glasses for driving, water activities, boating, fishing, and people who are sensitive to glare.
I do not recommend polarized sunglasses for action sports like mountain biking or trail running as the glare from wet roots is vital information for your eyes to warn you that the surface may be slippery. With polarized sunglasses the roots and other shiny slippery surfaces may appear dry. The glare from snow may also provide information to your eyes if the snow surface is icy. Keep this in mind if you are thinking of buying polarized snow goggles. Be sure that you are aware that glare may be helpful in some circumstances when you are navigating slippery terrain. Another thing to consider is that LCD screens can be more difficult to see with polarized sunglasses. The light passing through LCD screens may be horizontal, and all horizontal light will be blocked by your polarized sunglasses. An easy fix is to rotate your LCD screen 90 degrees and the light will be able to pass through the polarized sunglasses. Polarized sunglasses are not recommended for pilots who need to use LCD screen GPS or other instruments. Heads up displays will also be blocked by polarized lenses. Polarized lenses are great for improving visual clarity and reducing eyestrain due to glare but they may not be perfect for everyone.
