Polarized Lens

Have you ever heard the phrase, “What you can’t see won’t hurt you”? When it comes to exposure to unseen ultraviolet radiation (UVR), “What you can’t see can hurt you.” Long-term exposure to UVR can lead to various conditions of the eye. Among these conditions are corneal burns, growths on the eyes surface (pinguecula or pterygia), neoplasms of the eyelids, cataracts and macular degeneration.

Most of us still think that we can take part in day-to-day activities outdoors in the sun, such as driving, walking or relaxing, wearing lesser quality, over- the- counter sunwear. Unfortunately, studies have shown that poor vision contributes to motor vehicle accidents when drivers are not wearing their prescription eyewear, either sunglasses or contact lenses. Common reasons for not using eyewear include not wanting to spend money on prescription sunglasses or not knowing that a standard prescription can be made into prescription sunglasses.

Polarized lenses reduce harmful ultraviolet rays and eliminate glare while providing natural color definition, superior visual acuity and enhanced contrast. Polarized lenses absorb light differently, filtering specific portions of light. These absorptive lenses can filter ultraviolet light, blue light or infrared radiation. Visible light (light energy that can be detected by the human eye) also known as white light is measured from 380 nm to 760 nm. The term white light is a misnomer, since light is formed from a series of colors: red, the longest wavelength (620 nm to 760 nm), orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and the shortest wavelength, violet (380-410 nm). The human eye is most sensitive to the yellow/green region of light. Many lenses claim to absorb UV radiation up to 400 nm, but the visible spectrum begins at 380 nm resulting in poor coverage.’

Polarized and prescription polarized lenses are available in different colors for diverse activities:

• Gray: Used mostly as the everyday sunglass color. Excellent for eliminating intense light.
• Brown: Absorbs short wavelengths of visible light. Great for increased depth perception (scotopic vision).
• Amber: Delivers excellent vision for driving and skiing due to increased contrast and depth perception.
• Rose: Excellent for computer use or skiing.
• Yellow: Used commonly by sportsmen, such as hunters and marksmen. Wearing for extended periods of time can result in a blue afterimage when the glasses are removed.
• Blue: Not suitable as a sun-protecting tint. Wearing blue-tinted lenses for extended periods of time can result in a yellow afterimage when the glasses are removed.
• Green: Allow colors to remain true and soften light equally across the visible spectrum.

Southwest Florida is a great place to see, so be sure to protect your vision. OPTIQUE EYEWEAR at the KONOWAL VISION CENTER offers a wide variety of polarized sunglasses for every need. (239) 948-7555.