Sunglasses not only serve the purpose of eye care, protection from sunlight or high-intensity visible light, but it also functions as a visual aid to protect eyes from discomfort. This discomfort is eased by lens that are colored, polarized or darkened. Polarized sunglasses are specialized eyewear which are designed in a way that its lens plays a role in the extent of polarization. The darker the lens, the more it is polarized. So why polarized sunglasses are used for? 

Well, they are used to mitigate the glare from surfaces such as water surface, snow, and glass, where glares are produced owing to the reflection of sunlight from these surfaces which are usually reflected in your eyes. Glare alters the original colors of objects and makes it harder to distinguish. The lens of polarized sunglasses contains a laminated filter that allows only vertically oriented light to pass through. Due to this lamination, the horizontally oriented light is blocked and so the problem of glare is solved. 

 Certainly, there are many benefits of polarized sunglasses which include:

• Alleviation of visual discomfort 
• Reduction in strain on eyes
• Solution to the problem of glare and unnecessary reflections
• Visual clarity and true perception of colors
• Decline in snow blindness 

You would be wondering what snow blindness is. It is a temporary loss of vision due to the overexposure of UV rays from the sun that are reflected in your eyes from the surface of snow, causing sunburned cornea. If it is not treated or even prolonged, the blindness can be permanent in rare cases. The purpose of reduction in snow blindness factor is fulfilled by the polarized lens as while driving or traveling in the snow, the light reflected from the surface of the snow will come from all angles and directions, and will be polarized in all directions. For that, a good enough polarized pair of sunglasses with broad temple arms are the best to avoid snow blindness. Studies in optometry recommend you to wear polarized sunglasses to block the UV radiations and protect your eyes from these harmful rays that can cause serious eye problems.  

Remember that even in the cloudy or overcast weather, the glare from sand, snow, and water can still harm your eyes. So, dark polarized sunglasses are the best remedy for complete, risk-free eyecare because you never know when these polarized lights can be damaging for your eyes. If you love to ski or passionate about snowboarding, then you should buy the right pair of polarized sunglasses that will effectively reduce the bouncing back effect of the sunlight into your eyes. There is a variety of colored polarized lenses available and the best to use in the snow are of yellowish or orange hues so that they help you to detect the icy patches in higher altitudes while skiing or snowboarding. 

Thus, never forget to pack your pair of polarized goggles while trekking for the snow as protecting your eyes is a priority, not an option!