Are polarized better than tinted lenses?

Sunglasses play a vital role more than other accessories that mainly beautify the look. Sporting a stylish pair of sunglasses when stepping outdoors will help shield your eyes from harmful UV rays while adding an elegant touch to your everyday outfits. Most men prefer to wear shades armed with polarized lenses, while women are obsessed with elegant styles from non-polarized shades. So what is the difference in external appearance and performance between non-polarized and polarized lenses?

Non-polarized or tinted lenses.

Non-polarized lenses known as tinted lenses have a pigmented dye on the lens surfaces with various colors available, from muted finishes for men to bright and soft look for women. Today most sunglasses lenses are made of polycarbonate material which provides 100% UV protection. So surface treatment is not necessary. In the case of plastic material, a UV-resistant clear coating is vital for better surface protection.

A question that may arise is how colors and tint density contribute to the sunglass functions? Lens colors or color density do not affect performance in protection from UV rays. Instead, lens color is not just stylistic. It affects how your eyes perceive the true color or not, while the color density cuts the visible light to an acceptable level that the eyes can handle. Most sunglasses available on the market belong to class 2 or 3. Class 2 has less color density which permits 18% to 43% visible light to come into the eyes, while class 3 allows 8% to 18% visible light to enter. Class 2 sunglasses are the most popular and worn for general purposes, especially in medium sunlight. Class 3 sunglasses consist of a darker color density that cut a large amount of visible light, usually worn in a harsh environment like desert, mountain.

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Polarized lenses.

Polarized lenses are also tinted lenses with a chemical filter added to the lens surfaces. With the help of a chemical filter, polarized lenses can get rid of reflective glare and allow good visible light to come into the eyes. Without interfering with the effect of glare, the glass users will experience comfort and better visibility. Glare is formed the most in a water environment or nearby flat objects. Reflection from wet objects can produce an agitating source of reflective glare that causes a temporary loss of vision, discomfort, and eyestrain. Polarized lenses not only get rid of glare, they provide comfort and enhance visual clarity, making images appear sharper. Thus outdoor activities like fishing, water sport, driving, scenic viewing have great benefits of wearing polarized sunglasses.

Since a chemical filter is colorless, hence polarized lenses have the same external appearance as tinted lenses. Thus, it sometimes makes confused for users in determining whether the sunglasses are polarized or not.

Conditions determine which one is better.

Comparing the performance between polarized and tinted lenses to see which one is better, each type has its advantage and drawbacks. It's all depends on what your condition looks like or your routine lifestyle. Your region is also a factor in choosing your style. If you live near a coastal region, lake, river, polarized lenses are certainly better than UV lenses.

• Driving and walking errands: if you are behind the wheel or walking around local cities where glare is negligible, UV lenses seem to be a winner. On the other hand, if you are driving or running near the lake or beach, distracting glare will cause eyestrain and blurring vision. In this case, polarized sunglasses are the best choice.

• Water sport, fishing, and beach sightseeing: these activities get involved in an intense glare environment. Polarized lenses are a vital tool to fight glare to bring comfort and enhance visibility.

• Fashion: UV lenses are available in abundant colors, while polarized lenses have a limited color choice in grey, brown, and green. UV sunglasses are a winner if you wish to express your personality or make a fashion statement.

• Multi-purpose use: Daily use for safeguarding the eyes from UV rays and dust, taking selfie images, hiding the identity. UV or tinted lenses are just enough for you to enjoy the sunshine while the eyes are protected.

• Skiing, operating LCD machine: Polarized lenses are not appropriate for these operations. An inability to detect the color difference between ice and snow is a big drawback for polarized lenses. Skiers can not foresee where are dangerous places to control their path far away.

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