The Best Lenses For Your Favourite Outdoor Activities
Do you enjoy fishing, swimming, skiing or driving? If so then here is an essential accessory to consider carrying with you if you love being outdoors
Picture this: It’s midday and you’re on a roadtrip in a fancy convertible with the roof down, you feel the cool breeze brush against your hair as the sun is high. The tall, concrete building of the city passes behind you and then it hits: a sharp and blinding beam of light right in your eyes.
All of us have experienced the ever-so-familiar glare that makes us squint and raise our hands up to our eyes to help cover them. Not only is this distracting, especially during an activity that requires one’s full attention such as driving but this has proven to be harmful as it can lead to momentarily loss of vision, causing headaches and may even cause accidents.
Made specifically in order to prevent this, polarized lenses help in reducing glare by preventing the rays of light that bounce off of horizontal surfaces to shine into your eyes.
Not only do these help people who frequently drive during the day for long periods, but polarized lenses are helpful for those who spend time outside doing activities which includes being around water such as fishing or boating. Even in extreme conditions like being around snowy areas, polarized sunglasses act as an excellent accessory to carry in order to avoid the glare that bounces off the snow. Similar to snow, sand also happens to bounce light off horizontally hence needing protection for your eyes over long periods to avoid any serious damage is necessary.
So how does the light actually affect your eyes and how can these lenses help keep your eyes protected?
In outdoor settings, the light hits surfaces that are even, the light is reflected back in a similar angle that causes glare. These surfaces often tend to be horizontal, the light bouncing off is at a horizontal angle. Polarized lenses are coated with a special chemical that helps block out the horizontal rays of light and only filter through vertical rays of light to pass through, enabling a more comfortable and safe visual experience.
Polarized lenses sound great in theory so you may be wondering, “Why not just replace my other sunglasses with ones that are Polarized?” While this may seem appealing, there are instances where having these lenses on may not be recommended.
People who work with or use Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), such as pilots, are advised against using Polarized lenses as it makes reading digital display screens difficult to read.
Although these are recommended to be used in snowy areas, blocking glare might result in missing icy patches or difficulty in being able to differentiate ice from snow, which could potentially be dangerous for those traveling through snowy terrains.
Some may even complain that these particular lenses give them headaches or may experience dizziness which is also another instance where other lenses may be preferred to be worn instead of Polarized lenses. Since these lenses are tinted, they are not to be worn at night as they may hinder vision.
Here are a few recommended Polarized Lenses for you to consider buying to take on your next trip - be it to the beach, the mountains or everyday use
Aviator Classic
Designed for aviators in the United States back in 1973, this timeless classic comes in a variety of lens colors as well as frames, great for everyday wear and even offers 100% UV protection.
Unisex Retro Round Sunglasses
Chic and sophisticated. Not only do these shades protect your eyes from harmful UVA/UVB light but they do it in style! Raen offers a colorful range of frames and lenses to choose from, bringing back the retro look with a modern flare.
Red Sands
Inspired by the Red Sand Beach in Kaihalulu Bay - one of the only red sand beaches in the world, these shades are unique with the combination of being durable, light-weight and their variety of a number of cool colors making them perfect for a day out at the seaside.
Holbrook Polarized Rectangular Sunglasses
With Oakley’s Prizm lens technology, colors and contrast are amplified in order to ensure maximum clarity and comfort. Along with this, the lenses are designed under high mass and high velocity conditions for impact protection, helping you to enjoy activities like skiing without a worry.
Handmade Wood Sunglasses
Made from 100% natural wood, Hammockable provides UV400 rated sun protection which is essential when traversing regions with extreme climates such as deserts. Being incredibly environmentally friendly as well as comfortable, trendy and capable of shielding your eyes, these sunglasses have it all (seriously, they even float in water!).
