When you live where there is a lot of sunlight, you know sunglasses are a necessity. The sun doesn’t just affect hydration and light. It also affects our eyesight. And when the sun is really strong, usually at the high point of the day, it can be blinding without proper eye protection. Simple glasses aren’t going to completely help; one needs polarized glasses to truly protect their eyesight in the hard glare of daylight.
What is Glare?
One of the things people realize at a very young age is the sensation of glare. When the sunshine is strong, the reflection off everything that is blinding, particularly light surfaces. While regular sunglasses can help block ultraviolet sun rays, they do nothing for blocking glare. This is the importance of a polarized lens and its necessity, two birds with one stone!
How Polarized Glasses Work
Polarized glasses are specially made with a chemical on the lenses specifically to block glare. This treatment causes the lens to force horizontal light reflections to become vertical. That, in turn, diffuses the glare and makes it easier on the eyes to see, especially in the strong sunlight. When combined with UV protection, polarized glasses can provide very significant protection where both glare and harmful rays could otherwise cause temporary blindness, such as is heavy snow areas.
For the eye itself, in addition to protection from the light, the polarized glasses help reduce eye strain. This reduces eye-watering, muscle strain and even headaches caused by trying to look with constant effort. As a result, those who are very sensitive to light and the sun can benefit quite a bit from polarized glasses and regular wear.
Getting the Right Help for Your Eyes
For those in the Rocky River area needing an optometrist in Charlotte or near Davidson University, University Eye Associates (Universityeye.net) is an easy-to-find provider of polarized glasses. With a scheduled visit, a new patient can get a simple eye exam and fit for polarized glasses that work best for the individual instead of cookie-cutter options. If you value your eyesight, take the time to protect it as well with good glasses, and keep that bright Rocky River sun at bay.