Lenses

The Pros and…Pros of Polarized Lenses

            Xperio Glasses, beautiful day on the river in a kayak You hear about it everywhere: “Polarized sunglasses are the only way to go”. All of your friends and family rave about the difference polarized lenses make vs. regular tinted lenses. You may have thought about looking into it a time or two, but then you always find yourself wondering, “Aren’t polarized sunglasses just for boaters and fishermen who need to reduce reflected glare from the water surrounding them?” and “Is this ‘polarized’ thing just a sales pitch to get me to spend more money?” These are two valid questions. I have to admit that I have yet to join the Polarized Wearers of America Club because I have been asking myself these same questions. I have found that pro-con lists can help me decide if a decision made or product purchased is really worth it. Let’s take a little time to make our own list, using Coffman Vision Clinic’s Xperios UV Polarized Lenses and real, honest concerns as an example:

PROS:

  1. Xperio UV Polarized lenses eliminate 100% of blinding reflective glare. This is not only important for fisherman. These lenses will eliminate glare on sunny days from wet and snowy roads making for a much safer drive.
  1. Xperio UV Polarized lenses give me the sharpest vision available, especially when paired with my eyewear prescription (if needed).
  1. Xperio UV Polarized lenses make colors more vibrant, while tinted eyewear can dull the colors of nature.
  1. Xperio UV Polarized lenses offer maximum UV protection which will protect my eyes from being sunburned, developing cataracts prematurely and many other sun related issues.
  1. Xperio UV Polarized lenses are easy to clean and are available in six colors: grey, brown, grey/green, mirror silver, mirror blue and mirror gold.

CONS:

  1. I can’t seem my navigation screens when I fly my airplane. Even though polarized lenses were first made for pilots, new technology in the cock pit has made it hard to use polarized lenses.
  1. It makes rainbow like colors appear on some of my LCD electronic devices.
  1. Polarized lenses have limited colors, while tinted lenses can be dyed any color of the rainbow.
  1. They cost more than tinted eyewear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, now that we have made a list its easy to see that we have five solid pros for polarized lenses and four cons. Let’s see if we can find solutions for those pesky cons:

  1. How many of you fly airplanes? Okay, so I have to admit that my husband is a pilot. So you pilot types may not actually be few and far in-between, but before I met him I knew exactly zero plane-flyers. I don’t see this as a con unless you are an actual pilot. If you are, then polarized lenses might not be best for the sky, but you can still take advantage of these on the ground.
  2. I agree. I myself don’t like what polarized lenses do to a few of my electronic devices, but realistically I don’t wear my sunglasses when I am sending texts to my friends and spending way too much time on Facebook.
  3. While polarized lenses have limited colors, the material they are available in is not quite as limited. Tinted sunglass lenses can only be tinted well if they are plastic lenses. This is limiting your other eyewear options quite a bit. For example: do you have a heavy prescription? Those super cute pink lenses aren’t going to be super cute 6 mm thicker than a grey polarized polycarbonate lens.
  4. Sure, polarized lenses cost more, but the benefits of the added price are totally worth it. Plus CVC can give you a sweet coupon (in most cases) to help offset the additional cost of an Xperio UV Superior Polarized lens set.

Now that we have reviewed our cons, I think you will be on board with me when I say, “Polarized All the Way”! As you now see, your friend’s and family’s rave reviews were totally right. I don’t know about you, but I would rather have healthy and happy eyes and clearer vision, than worry about a few extra bucks. Fishermen of the World: Watch Out! I am joining the Polarized Wearers of America Club… and I think I might bring a few CVC blog followers with me.

 

Written by: Brittany Shunk, Optician ABOC

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