AUG 15, 2018

What's So Special About Polarized Sunglasses?

WRITTEN BY: Daniel Duan

Glare could cause discomfort in the eyes, even disability. To minimize the glare, one can try to reduce overall brightness by putting on a pair of generic sunglasses, or realign the direction of the light using the polarized lenses.

How do polarized lenses work? Light travels in a waveform, and oscillates like waves: side by side, and up and down. Sunlight comes in a so-called unpolarized way, meaning it oscillates in all directions. On all polarized lenses, there is a laminated layer of polymer compounds, which comes in different thickness. This layer acts as a vertical filter that allowing only vertically oriented light to pass through, just like a Venetian blind. The filtered light creates a clearer vision and is safer for the eyes. 

Source: SciShow via Youtube