Polarized Sunglasses - Why It Matters

Let's start at the beginning. NASA, while trying to replicate the vision of eagles and hawks developed a system to filter out the most harmful wavelengths of solar radiation. A private company then developed this technology to make polarized sunglasses.  

Polarized lens are usually made from a chemical film that is applied to the surface. The film will have molecules that are parallel to each other and when applied they will create a filter that absorbs any light matching their alignment.

Many sunglasses, claim to be polarized but are not, an easy trick to see if your sunglasses are polarized is to find a highly reflective surface such as a lake or car hood. Hold your sunglasses away from your body looking through only one of the lens, then slowly rotate your sunglasses 90 degrees, if your sunglasses are polarized the glare should be reduced noticeably.  Another easier way to tell is to buy a pair of Engleberts wooden polarized sunglasses and we will give you a free polarized test card.

Polarized lenses eliminate glare by blocking vertical light that can be particularly dangerous for people driving a car, motorcycle, boat, bike, spaceship or any other type of machinery. They are necessary to protect your eyes among boaters, fishermen, golfers, bicyclists, NASCAR drivers, runners and other outdoor sports enthusiasts. And they are practically mandatory for those who enjoy a day at the beach.

There are cases when  you should not wear polarized sunglasses, for instance when you need to see your LCD screen, this is true of pilots or when you need to see your car's head up display or cell phone screen.

Engleberts polarized sunglasses come with obviously, polarized lens. But they also come with UV 400 protection and Cat 3 lens.

UV 400 protection - The sun produces three types of UV rays, UVA, UVB and UVC. UVC is blocked by the earth's atmosphere. Ninety-five percent of the UV radiation you will encounter is UVA radiation, the remaining  five percent is UVB. Both UVA and UVB can cause sunburn, cataracts and macular degeneration to the eyes

What is UV 400?

UV 400 means that the lenses will block Ultraviolet (UV) waves shorter than or equal to 400 nanometers. All UV waves come in different lengths - UVA: 320-400 (nm), UVB: 290-320 (nm), UVC: 200-290 (nm). All Engleberts sunglasses provide 100% UV protection up to 400 nanometers, thus blocking all UV waves.

Another important feature to consider when buying sunglasses is what Category are the sunglasses. There are five categories of lens.

CAT 0 - Are either clear or have a very light tint, they are used for safety glasses or spectacles where you need to see clearly.

CAT 1 - Are for casual use, you will find these mostly in fashion but not function wear.

CAT 2 - Are the most common category to be found in cheap sunglasses for general use,  they provide decent protection from visible light and from UV rays. They have a tint which allows through less light than category 1 but more light than category 3,

CAT 3 - This is the category Engleberts sunglasses fall in. They will provide extra protection from both visible and UV light. Cat 3 are the highest rated sunglasses you can get and still drive.

Cat 4 - These lenses are not to be worn when driving as they are too dark.  These lenses will allow less than 10% of light to transmit through the lens. They are used in mountain climbing on snowy surfaces and other extremely bright environments. They are not to be used as everyday sunglasses.

In summation, look for three important factors in a pair of sunglasses. Polarized, UV400 protection and CAT 3 protection. You'll be happy to know all Engleberts sunglasses provide you with all three. You can view our selection here.

Thanks for reading, you can browse our super cool wooden sunglasses here.  You can find out more about caring for your sunglasses here. You can read more about the advantages of Engleberts Premium Wooden Sunglasses here.You can read about the different types of wood used to make sunglasses here. You can read about why the sun is brighter in autumn and winter here. You can read about Team Engleberts kayak trip from the mountains to the sea here.