Polarized Performance

Polarized sunwear is the go-to option when it comes to optimizing outdoor vision. Here, we present tips on picking the best polarized lens colors to enhance visual performance in any light condition and activity

By Karlen McLean and Susan P. Tarrant

Normal view, (left) vs. the view (unretouched) through Maui Jim’s polarized lenses. Polarized lenses can eliminate glare from flat, shiny surfaces, giving the wearer crisper vision. Lens color will enhance the lenses’ visual performance

Polarized sunwear is a fantastic tool for patients to defend their eyes against the sun’s brightness and all types of glare. At the same time, the polarized technology in the lenses can make images sharper and clearer for wearers. It’s what allows skiers to see trail contours better and fishermen to see quarry below the water’s surface.

Polarized lenses have a polarizing filter that contains dichroic molecules directionally aligned so they block the bright light that is reflected off shiny horizontal surfaces (snow, water, sand, the road, etc.). That reflected light becomes polarized, the brightness intensifies, and blinding glare occurs. Polarized lenses eliminate that glare, thereby ensuring that objects (or terrain) hidden by the glare are seen. That makes them safer than non-polarized tints. Polarized lenses also reduce the “scatter” in the outdoor atmosphere, providing crisper and clearer vision. That can make them more comfortable than non-polarized tints.

Adding color tints to polarized lenses can enhance the visual performance of the lens in various ways. There are traditional, tried-and-true polarized tint colors that are recommended for specific sports and conditions. And then there are the newer, renegade sports polarized performance colors.

Polarized lens manufacturers, and specifically sports lens manufacturers, have scores of variations on these colors, so be sure to check with them for complete offerings. Following is a look at each to help you hone your patient presentations.

Polaroid’s style X4305 from Safilo features polarized lenses, prime for driving

Coppertone polarized lenses from Vision-Ease Lens, pictured here in brown, can enhance high-contrast visual performance on the water, the slopes, or anywhere blinding glare is an issue

Kaenon’s polarized style Maya in tobacco denim has a gentle wrap for a style statement that works and plays hard

TRADITIONAL COLORS

The following are the traditional lens colors for polarized lenses, and how they can positively affect visual performance in certain conditions.

GRAY: All-purpose, most neutral, truest color vision. Gray A is light gray; Gray C is dark gray. The color performs well in partly sunny to sunny (A) conditions, and bright sun/heavy glare (C), like a sunny day on the water.

Costa’s Saltbreak in white features blue mirror over gray base polarized lenses are perfect for activities on the open water

BROWN: All-purpose, high contrast (driving, cycling, motorcycling, skiing, tennis) vision. Greens appear greener; reds more red. Brown can help highlight changing contours and textures, plus reduce light scatter off ice and snow.

AMBER/YELLOW: Great for defined vision, depth perception, lowlight conditions and haze; these tints offer vivid color contrast (shooting, hunting, skiing, ice skating, climbing).

COPPER: Copper can provide maximum contrast; it brightens viewed objects for improved visual acuity and offers great performance in all light conditions (fishing, hiking, climbing, cycling, driving, tennis).

PATIENT EXPERIENCES

Polarized sunlenses should be recommended to anyone who spends time outdoors. After asking about patients’ sports/activities, the other key question is asking when they participate in them so you can help direct them to the polarized color and density options that will work the best. For example, if your patient fishes, what time of day does he typically go? Fishing in the morning means light rose/amber lenses may work best; mid-day in bright sun, copper or brown; and evening, a medium or light orange. If the patient is fully vested in his sports performance and protecting his vision, three pairs of polarized lenses will be necessary.

What color polarized lens is best for each patient and each patient’s situation? Getting the patient involved with hands-on experience can help eliminate up-front guesswork and after-the-sale buyer’s remorse, returns, and redos. One good way to do this is by sending patients home with over-Rx polarized shields in various colors, including brown and gray. Set a two-week return timeframe (or the patients will be charged for the sunwear). This way, patients can audition polarized technology and colors within their own viewing experiences before committing to a color. The end result is that patients are empowered to make their own polarized color decision, and may choose a range of colors that they find work best.

ROSE: Improved resolution/contrast, especially in hazy conditions (skiing, golfing, hunting, target shooting, fishing).

GREEN: Slightly better contrast than gray while still allowing for true color viewing; good for varying light conditions (tennis, motorcycling, driving, golfing). Enhances contrast in low light and reduces eye strain in bright light.

NEWER POLARIZED COLORS

BLACK: Blocks the most visible light; best in bright sun/high-glare conditions (waves, pavement, snow, boating, fishing).

DRIVING DETAILS

A survey commissioned by Essilor of America revealed that 20 percent of eyeglass wearers sometimes drive without their prescription glasses and instead wear non-Rx sunglasses. A clinical study conducted as a precursor to the survey found that driver reaction times improve by one-third of a second for drivers who wear polarized lenses. For a car traveling 50 miles per hour, one-third of a second allows a driver to stop 23 feet sooner, or the length of an intersection.

Polarized lenses, particularly those designed to react to changing light conditions outside and behind the windshield, can help drivers handle bright light and blinding glare to overcast conditions with comfort and sharp vision.

Transitions Drivewear eyewear from Younger Optics feature polarized lenses to knock out the glare for safer driving, as well as adapt to changing light conditions outside and behind the windshield

SILVER/ASH/SMOKE: The equivalent of Gray A, B and C, these gray-based colors (sometimes with a touch of tan to heighten contrast) help maintain true color vision and are good in bright, medium, and light sunlight, respectively (wide range of sports).

PURPLE/VIOLET: Can mute certain backgrounds while increasing contrast (cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, golfing); good in low light conditions, like overcast skies, and in situations that cast shadows, like golf, hiking, cycling.

ORANGE: Increases contrast, blocks blue light; good in overcast conditions (hunting, downhill skiing, cycling, hiking).

GOLD: Offers high contrast and improved depth perception; good in partly sunny/foggy conditions (winter sports, except for bright sun, then go gray/black).

RED/VERMILLION: High contrast, good in hazy conditions (cycling, golfing, hunting, target shooting, winter/snow sports, fishing at dusk or dawn).

BLUE/TEAL: Subtle contrast boost while muting all colors but yellow (ideal for tennis, as it increases performance by enhancing the tennis ball). Blue allows the most High Energy Visible (HEV) light to enter the eye, which studies say can be harmful to eyes over time, so occasional wear during the sport should be encouraged.

Headway style 4062 in polished black from REVO by Luxottica boasts blue tint Water Lenses with a buoy and a leash to ensure they don’t get lost when knocked overboard

Some manufacturers offer combinations of colors and treatments on their lenses—such as a gray lens with red mirror coating for true color visual and highest contrast—providing the maximum visual performance for any given activity.

VARIABLE CONSIDERATIONS

Besides the all-important color, there’s another choice: tint density. Will that be dark, medium, light, or photochromic for variable tints? Photochromic lenses work well for long-term outdoor activities as the lens tints adjust with the change in conditions. And now that photochromic technology is available with variable polarization, the options multiply even further.

The key is to provide the desired optimum light transmission, fit the visual conditions, supply neutral or contrasted vision, and offer the best protection from glare and UV rays.

Also, polarized sports lenses should be created using high-impact lens material, like polycarbonate, Trivex, or various manufacturers’ proprietary high-impact lens materials to best protect the wearer’s eyes.

Mirrors can add to the wearer’s visual comfort and coolness in both senses of the word: cool looking and cool temperature, as mirrors can help reduce heat. For example, gold mirrors help absorb infrared, a component of sunlight that causes heat. Gold and silver mirrors both work well for hot, bright days with high instances of sun reflectance, like off snow, sand, asphalt, or concrete. They can also help reduce glare, as so much light is reflected off the mirrored surface.

BEWARE THE LCD

Viewing a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, such as those found on mobile phones, ATMs, gas station pump displays, and some road signs, can be difficult when wearing polarized lenses as the readout can fade or disappear at certain angles. While this is being addressed by some of the latest lens technology, polarized lenses still pose LCD viewing challenges.

DISPENSING TIPS

WHO: Nearly every patient can benefit from polarized lenses. They protect against blinding glare and provide sharper vision—important for a variety of outdoor sports and even driving.

HOW: Tell your patients that “only polarized sunlenses eliminate blinding glare, which adds another level comfort and safety. They allow you to see objects, people, and obstacles that might be hidden in a flash of light.”

Start discussing driving and outdoor activities, and explain how different colors and treatments can even enhance polarized performance qualities.

Xperio Transitions adaptive polarized eyewear, available in a range of grays and browns, can provide all-around enhanced contrast for outdoor activities

CAUTIOUS OPTIONS

If a pair or several pairs of polarized sunwear isn’t an option for a particular patient, here are some alternative polarized choices, with cautions:

CLIP-ONS AND FLIP-UPS. Clip-ons can provide the desired polarization but, depending on their construction and interaction with a frame, may scratch a lens’ surface. They may also create additional surface reflections.

OVER-RX. These frames, worn over everyday ophthalmic eyewear, can offer high-quality polarized lenses. However, they may limit peripheral vision and somewhat distort optics depending on the quality of the product and how it fits over each frame.

RX INSERTS AND INTERCHANGEABLE LENSES. These are two options that allow patients to change the lenses in their frame on their own. This is a good polarized option, as long as patients are coordinated and responsible, as inserts and interchangeables call for adept insertion and removal techniques to avoid damage, and efficient storage to help prevent loss.

SHIELDS/GOGGLES. Be sure to ask patients who use a shield, such as in snow skiing or motorcycling, to bring in the helmet(s) they wear to be evaluated for a polarized photochromic shield and/or frame fit under the helmet and polarized lens compatibility. Sometimes, polarized lenses may cause halos when worn under shields made of certain lens materials like polycarbonate.

The PivLock frame in Safety Orange from Smith Optics’ Endurance line features interchangeable polarized lenses for use in various light conditions: Super Platinum lens (shown) and the rose-colored Ignitor lens

The problem may appear when a scuba diver tries to read a computerized gauge, or a runner tries to read a watch/timer. Address this challenge upfront by asking patients when they’ll be using LCDs and cautioning that “because polarized lenses work so well, they may block some LCDs.”

A gold polarized lens from Reptile offers true color brown base, providing wearers with a high-contrast, high-definition lens with 98 percent protection from damaging high-energy visible (HEV) light

Explain how they can circumvent the problem by turning their head to view the device at a different angle. Or consider using patented polarized technology that enables LCD viewing to help address the problem.

Cyclists and triathlon athletes using handlebar-mounted computers, and those using GPS and depth finders when fishing or boating, as well as drivers or anyone using a mobile device, can benefit from this new polarized development. EB