A polarized lens has a filter that blocks glare. It isn't darker and it doesn't protect more from the sun: it eliminates the glare that bounces off water, pavement, snow or the hood of a car. That glare is what makes you squint even with your sunglasses on.
At ORBITAL we've been making sunglasses in Buenos Aires since 1996, and this is one of the most common questions when choosing a pair. The short answer: polarized is worth it if you spend time driving, near water or in the snow. For everything else, it's a preference, not a necessity.
How a polarized lens works
Sunlight vibrates in every direction. When it bounces off a flat, shiny surface, like a wet road or a lake, it lines up and vibrates mostly horizontally. That aligned light is glare: intense, uncomfortable and carrying no useful information for the eye.
A polarized filter works like a blind with vertical slats. It lets vertical light through and blocks horizontal light. The result is instant: glare disappears, colors look sharper, and you can see through the surface of the water instead of seeing the sky reflected on it.
Polarized and UV400 are not the same
This is the most common mix-up. They're two different protections that solve two different problems.
- UV400 blocks ultraviolet radiation, which you can't see and which damages the eye over the years. It's the health protection, and it's not optional.
- Polarization blocks visible glare. It's an upgrade in comfort and clarity.
A lens can have one, the other, or both. A dark lens without a UV filter, polarized or not, is worse than wearing nothing: your pupils dilate behind the dark lens and more radiation gets in. That's why every ORBITAL lens is VSL™ and filters UV400 and blue light, polarized or not. We explain it in detail in UV400 and Blue Light: What a Sunglass Lens Really Protects You From.
It's not the same as mirrored, either
Mirrored is a coating on the outer surface of the lens that reflects part of the light. It reduces how much light gets through, but it doesn't filter glare. A lens can be mirrored, polarized, or both at once.
When polarized is worth it
- Driving. It eliminates glare off the road, the hood and other cars' windows. This is where you'll notice the difference most.
- On the water. Fishing, boating, the beach, the pool. Without surface glare, you can see what's below.
- In the snow. Snow reflects most of the light that hits it; polarization cuts the glare.
- If you're sensitive to light. Less glare means less strain and less eye fatigue at the end of the day.
When you don't need them
Polarized filters also affect screens, because screens emit polarized light. Your phone, car dashboard or an ATM may look darker or patchy depending on the angle. It isn't a lens defect: it's the filter doing its job.
If you mostly wear sunglasses in the city, walking around or on a rooftop, a good non-polarized UV400 lens gives your eyes the same protection. See the full comparison in Polarized vs. Non-Polarized: Which Is Right for You.
How to tell if your sunglasses are polarized
There's a ten-second test. Look at a phone or laptop screen through the lens and rotate the sunglasses like a steering wheel. If at some point the screen goes almost completely dark, the lens is polarized. If nothing changes, it isn't.
FAQ
Are polarized lenses darker?
Not necessarily. Polarization is a filter, not a tint. There are light polarized lenses and very dark non-polarized ones.
Can I use them for night driving?
No. No sunglasses should be worn at night: they take away light exactly when your eyes need it most.
Does polarization wear off?
In a well-made lens the filter is built in and doesn't wear off with normal use. What damages it is extreme heat, like leaving your sunglasses on the dashboard in the sun.
Do polarized lenses protect more from the sun?
No. Sun protection comes from the UV400 filter. Polarization adds comfort.
ORBITAL polarized sunglasses
Every ORBITAL lens is VSL™: it filters UV400 and blue light, and some add an infrared filter. Polarized models add the anti-glare filter on top of that base. Our frames are made of Xylon™, our proprietary material, and every pair is handcrafted in Buenos Aires with a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.
Not sure which size fits you best? Start with our What's My Size? guide.
