Sure, your sunglasses help you look good on a sunny day, but what else are they doing for you? The lenses of your favorite shades are important for the protection of your eyes, though as much as 20% of the population reject that basic fact. About 95.9 million pairs of sunglasses were sold in 2012, but more were probably purchased on merit of good looks than on merit of protectiveness. There are a number of glazes and adjustments that can increase the benefits offered by your sunglasses. For example, yellow and gold tints can help wearers see targets and objects better and polarized lenses boast anti-reflective coatings that provide maximum clarity. Let’s take a look at how polarized lenses filter UV rays.

First Things First…

What are polarized lenses? Polarized lenses have filters applied to them that naturally absorb any light matching their alignment. Only the part of a light wave that does not align with the slots in the filter can pass through, and everything else is absorbed. The light that does make it through the filter is polarized.

How Does It Work?

Light vibrates and radiates outward in all directions. When its vibrations are aligned into one or more planes of direction, it is said to be polarized. For example, polarization occurs naturally when you look at a lake. The glare that reflects off the surface is the light that isn’t filtered by the water which is why you can’t usually see anything below the surface. Most of the glare that makes you put on your sunglasses comes from horizontal surfaces like water and highways. Light reflected off of those surfaces is horizontally polarized. Polarized lenses have filters fixed at an angle that only allows vertically polarized light to enter.

How Do I Know If My Lenses Are Polarized?

Often, sunglasses advertised as polarized aren’t really polarized at all. You can tell whether you’re looking at a genuine pair of polarized shades by finding a reflective surface and holding the glasses so you’re viewing the surface through one of the lenses. Rotate the glasses to a 90 degree angle, noticing if the reflective glare diminishes or increases. If the glasses are polarized, the glare will diminish significantly.

I Want Polarized Lenses, But I Love My Frames! Now What?

So you ran the test and had disappointing results. Luckily, replacing sunglass lenses is not all that difficult. Take note of the model number and size of your lenses by looking at the numbers printed inside your frames’ arm and look for a sunglass lens replacement company. Many will allow you to either have replacement polarized lenses installed for your on site or will send your replacement polarized lenses in the mail for you to install yourself. Replacement polarized lenses can help you make sure you look just as good and protect your eyes from glare and harmful rays. It’s a win-win!