Sunglasses are more than just accessories. They make a style statement and up your fashion quotient, but they can also protect the eyes and help maintain healthy vision.
If you’re someone who loves being out in the snow, you’re probably well acquainted with the headache and eye strain that accompanies a winter wonderland landscape.
That’s because the sun’s glare is amplified in the snow.
Want to know how you can fight the glare of the snow? Polarized sunglasses!
Read ahead to find out all about them!
Polarized Sunglasses: What Are They?
Polarized lenses also known as anti-glare lenses, are designed to reduce the glare of the bright sun.
Polarized sunglasses have a special chemical applied to their lenses, which sets them apart from other traditional sunglasses. This chemical filters the light, blocking certain rays of light from passing through the lens.
The polarized filter creates vertical openings, so only the vertical rays of light can reach your eyes. The horizontal rays that create a glare are reduced, which protects your eyes from straining and temporary blindness.
Polarized lenses also offer better clarity of vision, with better contrast and minimal color distortion.
Why Are Polarized Sunglasses Important For Snow?
Snow is the most reflective surface on Earth. It can cause the sun’s rays to scatter and bounce off at varying angles, resulting in a harsh glare that can severely strain the eyes and lead to snow blindness or photokeratitis.
Photokeratitis is essentially like a sunburn on the eyes and affects the cornea and conjunctiva. Snow blindness is a form of photokeratitis caused by the glare from the sun’s rays reflected off the snow.
It is characterized by:
- Redness
- Pain
- Blurring
- Swelling
- Light sensitivity
- Tearing
- Headaches
- Small pupils
- Twitching eyelid
- Temporary vision loss
- Gritty feeling
- Watery eyes
The sun’s glare against snowy terrains is extremely harsh and damaging and can cause the cornea to be inflamed, leading to snow blindness.
While snow blindness is a temporary condition and can be treated with simple home remedies such as a cold compress, prevention is always better than cure.
That’s why it is important to protect your eyes from the sun’s glare by wearing polarized sunglasses when outdoors in the snow.
Best Reading Sunglasses: Polarized Sunglasses
If you’re not skiing, snowboarding, or indulging in any other activity in the snow, you may assume that your regular sunglasses are the best reading sunglasses for you.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. If you tend to sit outdoors and read, especially when it’s snowy outside, then the best reading sunglasses for you are polarized sunglasses.
When you sit in direct sunlight, the sun may create a glare off your book. While this may not be as harsh as the direct glare in the snow itself, it can still cause a strain on your eyes and have a damaging effect.
You’ve probably noticed this yourself. If you’ve spent any time reading in the sun, it eventually causes discomfort or a headache. That’s why it’s always a good idea to wear a pair of polaroid sunglasses when reading outdoors.
Conclusion
Polarized lenses are extremely beneficial for those who enjoy the outdoors, especially in snowy landscapes. If you’re someone who loves to hit the slopes or even read in the sunshine despite the freezing winter, polaroid sunglasses are for you.
With the right pair of lenses, you can make your sunglasses your most functional and stylish accessory!