Rain – SUN – RAIN – SUN
The weather today could NOT make up it’s mind! When I dropped my kids off, it was pouring- my 3 year old cried, “We need a boat Mom!” as we ran into her preschool. When I picked them up four hours later- the sun was out, sky was blue, a perfect PNW afternoon. But… the road was still wet… so I was temporarily blinded by the concentrated sun rays hitting the puddles going right into my eyes until… I put my polarized sunglasses on. Sweet relief.
I’ve recently come across some really great explanations of how polarized lenses work to reduce glare – and I hope to shed some light (pun intended) on how these work- so you can hopefully gain a new appreciation of this great technology!
The glare of the sun on flat wet surfaces- such as roads, the surface of the ocean, snow reflects from that horizontal plane- concentrating all that light into a blinding reflection. Polarized lenses have a polarized filter oriented vertically to block light coming in horizontally. Besides removing the intensified and scattered horizontal light, the vertically aligned light polarize lenses allow to pass is preferable to the visual system- creating a significantly more comfortable view. 
Non polarized sunglasses indiscriminately filter all light- horizontal and vertical. They reduce glare but don’t eliminate it.
By filtering all components olight- a less sharp image is the result. The selective light filtering of a polarized lens actually creates a sharper picture!
Summary of the benefits of polarized lenses:
- Eliminates glare
- Improves visual comfort
- Improves contrast and clarity
- Reduces eyestrain
- Reduces reflections
Not all polarized lenses on the market are created equal. The quality of the filter used and how the lenses are manufactured determines the glare reduction. Drug store “polarized” sunglasses may only cut out 10% of light, where premium polarized lenses such as Xperio lenses by Essilor cut out 99% of reflected light.
Next time you’re driving on a gorgeous day when the storm has lifted and the sun is shining down on large puddles of morning rain and reflecting right into your eyes- consider an investment in a quality pair of polarized sunglasses. They will greatly improve your driving experience!
As you’re preparing for the upcoming school year, it’s important to make sure a comprehensive eye examination is on the family’s to-do list. Kid’s vision can change dramatically from one year to the next and 80% of learning is experienced through vision. Therefore, a thorough eye exam is a necessary step to making sure your child is ready for the school year!
its
How often do you take your car to be serviced or head to the dentist? How often do you update the anti-virus software on your PC to protect your hard drive?
of the year- your birthday month – as soon as school’s out for summer or before the year is out – pick a time to schedule your yearly eye check up/regular preventative maintenance and stick to it! Your future self will thank you!
Whenever you spend time outside, there are easy ways to protect your eyes from the sun to help reduce the risks discussed above. Wearing quality sunglasses that provide 100% protection against UV-A and UV-B radiation is the first step. Transition lenses (that darken in sunlight) also provide 100% UV protection. Wrap-around sunglasses provide the most amount of protection. Don’t forget about protecting children and young adults eyes too! They typically spend the most time in the sun. Therefore, implementing the sunglasses habit can make the biggest impact to their long term eye health. It does this by reducing the amount of accumulative hours of UV exposure!
nes after a rainstorm and we are surrounded by beautiful bodies of water to play on- polarized lenses are life changing.
All lenses have an eighteen-month warranty including two remakes for any reason. Your satisfaction is our top priority. Optional upgrades include mid-index and hi-index plastic, full personalized freeform lenses or mirror coatings (multiple colors available). The package savings are over $150 and are still eligible for our multiple pair discount! We have a great selection of sunglasses frames and lenses! Please stop in to talk to our obticians and discuss the polarized lenses package!
Salvatore Ferragamo SF757S (top), Tura 050 (bottom)
