For all the benefits we receive from the sun, its light can pose serious vision problems. Sunlight reflecting off smooth water, snow or flat roads can create glare, which is not only annoying but can often be dangerous. Blinding sun glare can cause accidents, snow blindness and can even sunburn your eyes. Long-term exposure to the sun’s glare has been known to cause cataracts. Thankfully, polarized lenses can shield you against the dangers of intense glare.

A virtually invisible filter can be built into lenses to eliminate the amount of reflecting light that enters the eye. Polarized lenses not only reduce glare but they make images appear sharper and clearer, increasing visual clarity and comfort. Available for prescription and non-prescription sunglasses, polarized lenses can be worn indoors by light-sensitive people, including post-cataract surgery patients and those continually exposed to bright sunlight through windows.

Most polarized sunglasses provide UV protection, which is important to maintaining healthy eyesight. Just as we put on sunscreen to protect our skin, it’s critical that we protect our eyes from UV rays, too.

While any type of protective eyewear is better than none at all, investing in a pair of quality sunglasses will not only enhance your outdoor lifestyle but also protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays. If you have any additional questions, ask our licensed opticians, and they will help you narrow down the best pair for your outdoor visual needs.