Polarized glasses - what is it? Polarized glasses. How to check the polarization of glasses. Why you need polarized glasses

When buying sunglasses, sellers often ask a leading question about which model you want - with or without polarization. And of course, those who do not know what polarized glasses mean cannot answer this question.

To begin with, let's eliminate the lack of information on this matter: polarized glasses are those that have an additional coating on the lens or a layer in it (polarizing filter) that can block / reflect horizontal sun rays (glare).

Why do you need polarized glasses? This feature can make life much easier for drivers who drive on sunny days, as well as for those who spend time near water bodies (vacation, swimming, fishing) and skiing on a clear day.

Do you need polarization in sunglasses if you do not belong to these categories of people? Let's just say that increased comfort and eye safety are never superfluous. Therefore, if there is a financial opportunity, you should have at least one polarizing sunscreen accessory in reserve. We remembered the financial opportunity not by chance - as a rule, such models are much more expensive than usual ones.

So, what gives polarization in glasses, we figured it out. It remains to find out how to determine whether the glasses are polarized or not, in order to make sure the words of the seller who assures you that it is in the model offered to you are true.

Ways to test glasses for polarization

1. Most large stores with a wide range of sun accessories provide a polarization test for glasses. It is a picture that should change in a certain way if you look at it at points with this property. If such a test is available, checking polarized glasses is as easy as shelling pears:

- look at the image without glasses;

- dress them up

- to see or not to see the result;

- make a conclusion about the presence of this property in the lenses of the tested product.

2. Another test for the polarization of glasses can also be done directly in the store (or at home, if there are other ones with polarized lenses). Its essence is to:

– take two models with the presumed presence of polarization;

- combine them with lenses end-to-end;

- mentally draw an axis through the center of the left or right lenses;

– rotate one of the glasses by 90° while trying to maintain the drawn axis (that is, the centers of the lenses must still coincide);

- look at the center of the combined lenses - it should become darker than it was in the initial position (if there is polarization in both lenses).

3. You can check polarized glasses at home using a regular computer monitor or tablet / smartphone screen, which must be LCD (liquid crystal). You only need to follow a few simple steps:

– place the goggles opposite the switched on screen at a distance of 0.3–0.4 m;

– start turning them, continuing to keep the lenses parallel to the monitor;

- evaluate the degree of darkening of the lenses with the glasses in a vertical position - they should become significantly darker or even opaque.

If you made a purchase without having your glasses checked for polarization

These recommendations will always help you make the right choice if you are just preparing to buy. But what if you've already bought them without doing any of the tests because you didn't know how to test polarized glasses?

In this case, the described test with an LCD monitor can still help. If this is not possible, it remains to believe in the decency of the one who sold them to you, and hope that you got at least a high-quality fake. In the worst case, checking glasses for polarization will happen by itself over time - for cheap copies, a polarizing filter is rarely inserted inside the lenses and most often it is a thin film pasted on top, which peels off rather quickly.

Fashionistas will definitely not like this accessory, as it was originally created in order to protect the retina from harmful ultraviolet rays. True, some manufacturers are trying to combine the practical benefits of these glasses with their design qualities. You will surely see such interesting models in the lines of the Polish manufacturer called AM GROUP.

The essence of this type of glasses is that, thanks to the polarizing filter located in the lenses, they are able to prevent the horizontal rays of the sun from reaching the organs of vision.

Polarized sunglasses are often referred to as anti-reflective glasses. The second name fully reflects their essence. With their help, we can look at the world around us without annoying glare and distortion. As a result, the picture becomes clearer for perception.

What is polarization in sunglasses?

In order to fully understand what polarized sunglasses are, it is necessary to understand the very concept of “polarization”. Sunlight is arranged in such a way that, reflected from a mirror surface (water, wet asphalt, and metal), they continue to move both horizontally and vertically.

If in the case of vertical rays we can still clearly see a clear picture in front of us, especially for contrasting colors, then horizontal sun waves block the image we see, creating glare on it.

All modern polarized sunglasses include a kind of filter - a special material that is covered with a protective film. When ultraviolet reaches the aforementioned layer, it is simply absorbed by the latter. The only disadvantage of a polarizing filter is that the picture is not as bright with it as without anti-glare glasses.

Pros and cons of polarized glasses

Immediately, we note that the advantages in this accessory are much greater than the disadvantages. We list the main ones:

Perfectly protects human vision from ultraviolet radiation;
Significantly reduces the load directed to the optic nerve;
Increases image visibility by lowering brightness levels;
Retains good color reproduction of the picture;
Prevents various distortions and glare, etc.
Polarized sunglasses are a quality product, but even it has some disadvantages, and they are:

High price. It starts from 1500 rubles. Brand models can be purchased for 5000 rubles. and higher.
Gadget problems. Even at high brightness

the contents of the screen of a smartphone or navigator will be practically invisible.
If you buy a low-quality product, but you risk that such polarized sunglasses will lose their positive properties very soon after the thin layer of the polarizing filter is completely erased.

This type of glasses has already been appreciated by drivers, athletes and fishermen. However, polarized sunglasses can be useful not only for them, but for all people who prefer active recreation.

For drivers and athletes, it is recommended to wear frames with brown, copper or yellow lenses. These colors have a calming effect. But green and gray glasses should be used by those who often visit nature near a pond. According to some reports, polarized sunglasses can increase visibility several meters underwater.
If you have vision problems, then in your case it makes sense to purchase special overlays with a polarizing effect that can be put on ordinary optics.

How to choose the right polarized glasses?

You should not hope that you can buy this accessory in a regular store or on the street. You will find polarized sunglasses only in specialized opticians and branded stores. For the selected product, be sure to ask the seller for a quality certificate. We do not recommend purchasing this product online. However, in extreme cases, you can turn to such online services with original goods as Lamoda and Wildberries.

Polaroid and Ray ban are the main manufacturers that currently create the best polarized sunglasses. And these firms can guarantee you the high quality of their goods. As for other brands, it is very difficult to say something similar, since this product, as a rule, is not aimed at the mass consumer. And there is no need to wear polarized sunglasses all the time.

Doubt that the product you have chosen has the declared properties? This is pretty easy to check. Take two identical glasses and put them to each other with lenses, after turning them at an angle of 90 degrees. If the area of ​​​​the lenses has darkened at the junction, then these glasses really have a polarizing layer.

You can try the second method of checking - point the lens at the smartphone screen with the maximum brightness set. If polarized sunglasses reacted to this radiation with a dark spot, then this accessory is anti-reflective.

Glasses with polarization, or otherwise they are also called anti-reflective glasses, can not only save you from bright light. Thanks to them, the eye is able to more clearly see the picture that was illuminated by the sun's rays, while correcting all the resulting distortions.

About polarization

The sun's rays, reflected from different surfaces, can continue their path further in a horizontal or vertical direction. With a vertical continuation of the reflected rays, the human eye is able to distinguish the surrounding objects without any difficulty. With horizontal reflection, the rays overlap the image to some extent due to the glare that is formed. It is in order to eliminate light distortion that polarized glasses are used. For easy perception of what polarized glasses are, you just need to imagine a certain filter blocking horizontal rays.

A polarized surface is a material that is covered with a protective thin film. When ultraviolet rays hit the surface layer, the rays are absorbed by them. As a result, only vertically directed waves of light are visible to a person, which do not interfere with the examination of objects. Due to the absence of horizontal beams, the contrast of the image is increased and the brightness is reduced, which in general reduces eye strain.

Who needs anti-reflective lenses

Among consumers of glasses with polarization, most of all motorists. When traveling, they simply need perfect clear visibility to reduce the risk of accidents. Polarized lenses are able to eliminate the following visual interference: glare from the dashboard, windshield, wet asphalt, they also cope well with the blinding light of the headlights of an oncoming car. If the glasses use lenses that absorb UV rays, even on a very sunny day, the motorist will see all the objects on the road without problems. It is worth noting that experts have already proven that the driver's reaction is significantly increased when using polarizing glasses.

The second in the ranking of the popularity of the use of anti-reflective glasses are fishermen. Everyone knows that the sun's bright light on the surface of the water leaves significant glare. It is for this reason that avid fishermen use polarized sunglasses when fishing. What is it for them? Thanks to anti-reflective lenses, the fisherman excellent view of the water surface even on a clear afternoon.

Polarization also plays an important role in the process of training athletes. While skiing or surfing, the sun's rays can create some interference, which is completely unacceptable. After all, in the absence of excellent visibility for athletes, continuing to train may be unsafe or may lead to injury.

Benefits of polarized sunglasses

Polarized sunglasses have several positive features. Important advantages of polarized lenses are:

• reducing the load on the nerves of the eyes;
• protection of vision from the negative effects of ultraviolet rays;
• natural color rendering;
• improved visibility as a result of reduced brightness.

Negative points

Polarized lenses do not have and, in principle, cannot have flaws. They are easy to use and safe for the eyes. Yet There are a few downsides to these glasses. which include the following points:

• driving lenses sometimes distort the image on the navigator screen;
• inexpensive polarized glasses have a thin polarizing layer, which quickly wears out during operation and begins to peel off;
• quality-manufactured anti-reflective lenses cost far more than conventional framed sunglass.

How to choose the right polarized lenses

You can't buy only polarized glasses and they are suitable for different occasions and conditions. When choosing anti-reflective lenses, it is recommended heed the advice of experts:

How to check polarization

Not all manufacturers are engaged in the manufacture of genuine and high-quality goods. That is why it is necessary to have knowledge how to check polarization when buying anti-reflective lenses. In fact, it is very easy to determine the presence of anti-reflective lenses in the model you have chosen. What needs to be done?

It's simple: the selected polarized sunglasses must be brought to any LCD monitor. If the polarizing lens is turned to the display at an angle of 90 degrees, the image will darken. If the lenses are not equipped with polarization, then the experiment will not work - it will be possible to clearly see the monitor through the glasses. For authentication, instead of a liquid crystal monitor, you can use another polarized glasses. The effect should be the same - one of the lenses will darken.

If you wear regular medical glasses

If you have visual impairments, then wearing polarized glasses is more difficult. Of course, this is not to say that the problem cannot be solved. However, in such a case, the use of lenses with anti-reflective effect is rather expensive. Ordinary polarized glasses will not work - they are not able to correct vision. In this situation, you can use two options: wear contact lenses or use special anti-reflective pads.

Using the first option is not very convenient, since this method involves regular costs for replacing lenses. In addition, some people simply cannot wear contact lenses.

The more profitable option is use of anti-reflective pads. They replace polarized sunglasses. Not everyone knows what it is. A polarizing pad is a pair of anti-reflective lenses that attaches to medical glasses. It is very simple to perform all the manipulations - the product can be easily removed and put on your frame, while the user does not feel discomfort.

Where could I buy

To protect yourself from purchasing fake polarized glasses, you should contact only verified online stores. For example, you should not amuse yourself with the reliable fact that on the Aliexpress website for 300 rubles with free delivery you will purchase the original model of anti-glare glasses.

In addition to the Internet, polarized lenses can be found in specialized opticians. So, you can not only be convinced of the quality of the glasses, the polarization layer on the lenses, but also choose the frame model that suits your face type.

Why buy polarized glasses? How to choose them correctly? Is it worth focusing only on the brand?

Why buy polarized glasses?

Polaroid

Ray Ban

Cafe France

carrera

What to look for when choosing polarized glasses?

I have long wanted to order normal glasses for the driver. Technology has stepped forward a long time ago, and therefore now they no longer take ordinary glasses, but everyone wants to buy the so-called polarized ones. Now they are sold just a lot, you can say everywhere, there are both cheap (but the quality is lame), there are more or less high-quality ones, but more expensive. Today I want to bring out the "golden mean" and leave a review about my purchase ...

Actually, the story is this - I often drive (for work, kindergarten, shops, etc.), sometimes we go out of town mainly on weekends, about 100 km (both ways), in general, everything is like everyone else, on average mileage per month is about 1500 - 2000 km. In winter, and especially in summer, the sun is blinding “oh my God”, I got tired of squinting, and therefore I decided to take glasses for myself - AND OF COURSE POLARIZING.

Many now may think that they bought in the summer, but no, the guys took it in the winter, because in the cold, in the bright sun, the snow glares even more, reflecting the rays - you become like a Chinese while driving (you always squint). Actually, my choice was simple, I went to the market and for about 400 rubles, I took an unknown (handicraft) Chinese manufacturer. Which he later regretted. Now such glasses are already worth 500 - 600 rubles, because the dollar has jumped, and it's summer now. But to begin with, in my story, I would like to tell you - so what is polarization.

What are polarized glasses?

Guys, everything is simple here, these glasses are designed to “remove” glare from the road, from puddles, mirrors, glass, snow, etc., in general, from everything that can shine and blind you. But sometimes such blindness can be fatal, they didn’t see and ran into someone, I think that such glasses are needed, and the eyes will be safer and safety on the roads will grow.

So what are they? Now there are two types of polarization:

• - in addition to fighting glare, they also protect you from the sun, that is, there is an ultraviolet filter there. On such glasses you can see the inscription "UV", by the way, it can be from 100 to 400. For example, "UV 400" has the highest sun protection, and plus polarization, all this together gives very good results. One minus for night movement, such "eyepieces" will not fit in them corny dark.

• Night There is also a night option. But they are designed to combat the blinding headlights of oncoming cars especially. There is no UV filter here, and, in fact, it is not needed, the night is where the sun comes from! Therefore, their lenses are light yellow, probably everyone has seen.

I have acquaintances of truckers, and so they say that the first daytime option, they almost always have with them, because the sun shines from above. But they do not need a night one, because passenger cars with their headlights are much lower than the line of the driver's cab. I did the same, you know, I used to want to buy such yellow glasses for myself, but I didn’t understand why they were needed - I almost bought it, but now I realized that I need to take sunny daytime glasses, and the rest is pampering.

Which is better to choose?

You know, I went through a bunch of tests, read a bunch of reviews and determined several results for myself:

• Polaroid (Japan) . However, now even they have plastic lenses, glass has not been installed for a long time, and they say that glass does not have the same manufacturability as some plastic lenses. The set is just glasses, the cost is about 3000 rubles, if you take additional gadgets, a case, a rag - wiping + another 1000 rubles. Total 4000 rubles per set. Expensive and not so good quality.
• Cafe France (Taiwan) , everyone thinks that it was made in France, “hell there”, they are sold at many gas stations. The cost varies from 890 to 1200 rubles, also if you need a cover and so on, add another 1000, a total of about 2000 rubles.
• matrix polarized (China) . Guys, the same glasses that I bought on the market, like they are positioned as cheap, but very high quality. For them, it makes no sense to buy a case, I kept it in the car from above in a glasses case. The price was about 400 rubles, as I said.

Everything would be fine, but in these Matrix, my eyes began to get tired, they started to hurt. If the distance is not so far, then everything is fine, but when you drive more than 15 - 20 kilometers, just like “they poured sand in your eyes”, took pictures - everything passed. A familiar doctor said that most likely they greatly distort vision, that is, they add diopters, and this is what harmed the eyes.

So I rode without glasses, but damn summer, you still need them! Therefore, I decided to look at ALIEXPRESS what is there and you know, I found just an “awesome” option.

GlassesVEITHDIA design

Once I came across an article in social networks, such “eyepieces” were sold for 1500 - 2000 rubles, I liked them BUT THE PRICE! After a couple of days, I remembered something and I decided to look at them on ALI, in general, what was my surprise, the price was at least two times cheaper than in the networks (of course, these are “resales”). I ordered, delivery to me was about 3 weeks and now I have them. At the time of purchase, the price is 780 rubles.

Before writing the article, I rode in them for three days, and quite long distances, most importantly - THE EYES DO NOT HURT!

The complete set is the most complete - the glasses themselves, a case, wiping, checking the polarization, well, there are all sorts of booklets.

Made - beyond praise, packed as well! Very high quality, reminiscent of Polaroid, "heavy", but not too much, you can feel the performance.

In general, I advise everyone, if necessary! YES, and the price does not bite, almost at the level of the market, but the quality is "a couple of goals" higher.

A small video on these points, we look.

Useful information about lenses

Many may be tormented by the question, but how and how some glasses are superior to others, in addition to the frame, these are, of course, lenses. Now photochromic lenses (the so-called "chameleons") have been replaced by more advanced polarizing and anti-reflective options. I offer short but useful information:

• Anti-reflective or anti-reflective coating . In fact, this is the “anti-glare”, which prevents the formation of reflections on the lens itself, due to which the image becomes brighter and much cleaner.
• Polarizing coating or lenses . At the dawn of its appearance, it was just a coating, but now it is a separate layer built into the remaining layers (of a plastic lens). It is he who removes the glare, or the so-called bunnies (rays), which fell into your eyes and temporarily blinded. Thanks to this option, the eyes are less tired and feel more comfortable.
• Comprehensive coverage. Now often all modern glasses combine both anti-reflective and polarizing coatings. Of course, such complexes are more expensive, but they allow you to achieve the maximum visual effect.
• Colored glasses, or coating (usually yellow, green, pink, blue, etc.). Not all colors are equally useful, you need to understand this:

Purple and blue - cause disease of the eye lens, so it is better to refuse them

dark coating – removes excessive solar activity, as well as reflections from water, snow, ice, glass, etc.

green cover (as well as brown, gray) - removes stress from the eyes! What is very valuable behind the wheel. However, the green coating can change the color perception.

"Chameleons" - now it is also not recommended to wear, especially for drivers. Because in the dark they brighten very quickly, and let's say the sudden light of headlights can blind you.

yellow lenses - they “highlight” objects very well, especially in slush, they also effectively fight against oncoming headlights. They also improve the mood of the driver, which also has a beneficial effect on the perception of the road.

Plastic or glass in glasses?

I know this question torments many drivers, and even ordinary people. Now there are myths that plastic (all kinds of polymers) is bad! But the glass is quality!

Guys, this is not so now - I would even say that plastic lenses are now in no way inferior, or maybe even superior to glass, in these lenses you can combine many layers, for example, polarizing, anti-reflective, etc., without losing quality. When on glass it will be just films that can fade or peel off over time.

YES, and break a glass lens, as easy as shelling pears, and cut, say, eyes. This happens after the airbags are fired, in a car collision. The plastic will break and that's it.

Polymer lenses have long evolved, all manufacturers now make their glasses with them.

Actually, that's all, I think the information was useful to you. Read our AUTOBLOG.