Photon polarization

Additionally, another advantage of polarized vs. non-polarized is that polarized lenses have several benefits for your eyesight. These advantages include enhanced comfort, reduced eye strain, and even improved visual clarity. All of these factors are important to note when buying sunglasses polarized vs. non-polarized.

To see if a pair of sunglasses are polarized vs. non-polarized sunglasses, there is a quick little test you can do yourself. First, put on your sunglasses and take a look at your phone screen. If you see a rainbow in your line of vision obstructing your view of the screen, then the glasses are most likely polarized lenses vs non. This is a simple way to distinguish between polarized sunglasses versus regular. Most companies use traditional polarized lenses, but at Felix Gray, we use thinner polarization, which we specifically designed to work with modern devices. This way you can look at your screen with minimal distortion every time and still get the benefits of polarized sunglasses.

There are different polarization mechanisms.  The most common method of producing polarized light is to use polaroid material, made from chains of organic molecules, which are anisotropic in shape.  Light transmitted is linearly polarized perpendicular to the direction of the chains.  The transmission axis is perpendicular to the chains.

Circularlypolarized light

The ability to eliminate glare is drastically different for polarized versus non-polarized sunglasses. That’s because polarized lenses are specifically engineered to reduce glare and ensure you can see clearly even in the direct sun. This glare created by the sun can be annoying and even dangerous in some situations. Therefore, polarized sunglasses work to eliminate this glare that interferes with your vision.

Linear polarization

Certain birefringent crystalline substances bend light trough an angle that depends upon the state of incident polarization.  The have an optic axis.  Unpolarized light entering a birefringent crystal not along the optic axis of the crystal is split into beams which are bend by different amounts.

Some materials turn birefringent when stressed.  By placing transparent materials between two polarizers, we can perform stress analysis tests.

You’ll notice clearer vision while in direct sunlight when wearing polarized sunglasses vs. non-polarized sunglasses. By cutting out the glare, the polarized lenses will help you see better outside.

Polarization oflight

Optically active or circular birefringent materials rotate the direction of polarization of linearly polarized light.  The amount of rotation depends on the wavelength of the light.  Sugar molecules have a handedness (chirality) and in solution are optically active.  If we polarize white light and pass it through sugar syrup, the direction of polarization of the light emerging from the syrup will be different for the different color components.  If the light then passes through a second polarizer, its color changes with the orientation of the transmission axis of this polarizer.

When unpolarized light is incident on a boundary between two dielectric surfaces, for example on an air-water boundary, then the reflected and transmitted components are partially polarized.  The reflected wave is 100% linearly polarized when the incident angle is equal to an angle called the Brewster angle.  For water this angle is is ~53o with respect to the normal or 37o with respect to the water surface. For are considerable angular range around the Brewster angle the reflected light is highly polarized in the horizontal direction.

In order to understand polarization, we must first understand light. Light is delivered in waves, and light waves that vibrate in more than one plane are referred to as unpolarized light. Polarized light waves, on the other hand, are light waves in which the vibrations occur in a single plane. This light travels in both vertical and horizontal directions. Horizontal light tends to be more problematic because it creates unwanted and potentially dangerous glare by bouncing off of different surfaces. In terms of polarized vs. non-polarized lenses, this is a key distinction. Polarized lenses transform these light waves (so they become polarized), and as a result less disturbing to your vision. Non-polarized lenses don’t filter light in this way, so the glare is much more noticeable.

When unpolarized light passes through a polarizer, the intensity is reduced by a factor of ½.  The average of cos2θ, averages over all angles θ is ½. Itransmitted = I0all angles = ½I0.

P-polarizedlight

For a linearly polarized electromagnetic wave traveling in the x-direction, the angle the electric field makes with the y-axis is unique.

Coherentlight

Elliptical polarization

An ideal polarizer is a material that passes only EM waves for which the electric field vector is parallel to its transmission axis.  The electric field is a vector and can be written in terms of the components parallel and perpendicular to the polarizer's transmission axis.  E = Eparallel + Eperpendicular.  An ideal polarizer passes Eparallel and absorbs Eperpendicular.If E0 is the incident field vector and the angle between E0 and the transmission axis is θ, then the magnitude of transmitted field vector is E0 cosθ and its direction is the direction of the transmission axis.  The intensity I of an electromagnetic wave is proportional to the square of the magnitude of the electric field vector.  We therefore haveItransmitted = I0 cos2θ. This is called the law of Malus.  If θ = 90o the transmitted intensity is zero.

When the sun is at a low angle in the sky, the sunlight reflecting off the surface of water is nearly 100% horizontally polarized because the angle of incidence is close to the Brewster angle. Glare-reducing sunglasses are coated with a polarizer with a vertical transmission axis and therefore block the reflected light.

Polarized or not, sunglasses are a staple of everyday life. Polarized lenses versus non-polarized have many benefits that make them worth the purchase. Sunglasses of some kind (either polarized or non-polarized) should be worn during outdoor activities in order to protect your eyes from the bright sunlight. However, there are certain situations and conditions where it is important to know when to wear polarized sunglasses vs. regular.

If you’re looking for the perfect pair of polarized sunnies, look no further than Felix Gray. Some brands charge more for polarized lenses, but that is not the case with Felix Gray. There is no need to worry if the sunglasses are polarized or not because all Felix Gray sunglasses come with polarized lenses to ensure glare reduction (anti-glare glasses). They also filter Blue Light to enhance color and block 100% of UVA and UVB light. The UV protection combined with the advanced Blue Light filter provides the best wearing experience possible. Blue Light scatters more than any other color (fun fact: that’s why the sky is blue!). This scattering can cause colors to appear muted and washed out. Felix Gray combats this with the proprietary color enhancement feature so you can see in true color.

Unpolarized light

A beam of unpolarized light of intensity I0 passes through a series of ideal polarizing filters with their transmission axis turned to various angles, as shown in the figure. (a)  What is the light intensity (in terms of I0) in regions A, B, and C? (b)  If we remove the middle filter, what will be the light intensity at point C?

Additionally, the glasses feature thin polarized lenses made to work with digital screens so images are always accurate. Felix Gray sunnies also come with 360-degree protection that features a super hydrophobic backside AR (Anti-Reflective) coating to ensure that no damaging light can be reflected back into your eyes. All in all, polarized lenses vs. non-polarized have many benefits for your eyes and you can get great pairs at Felix Gray. They come in various colors and styles that both look great and are highly effective. If you have any questions or concerns before buying, during your search, or after you buy your new sunglasses, don’t hesitate to contact our Customer Experience Team through email, chat, phone, or Facebook messenger. If you’re looking for incredible quality, top-rated polarized sunglasses, Felix Gray is the place for you.

An unpolarized electromagnetic wave traveling in the x-direction is a superposition of many waves.  For each of these waves the electric field vector is perpendicular to the x-axis, but the angle it makes with the y-axis is different for different waves.  For unpolarized light traveling in the x-direction Ey and Ez are randomly varying on a timescale that is much shorter than that needed for observation.

Polarized vs. non-polarized sunglasses create an interesting debate on how they work and which is better suited for different situations. In terms of the polarized lens vs. non, both still typically protect against both types of UV light (UVA and UVB) in addition to bright light. However, there are two key differences between polarized and non-polarized sunglasses.

Polarization is a phenomenon peculiar to transverse waves.  Longitudinal waves such as sound cannot be polarized.  Light and other electromagnetic waves are transverse waves made up of mutually perpendicular, fluctuating electric and magnetic fields.  In the diagram below an EM wave is propagating in the x-direction, the electric field oscillates in the xy-plane, and the magnetic field oscillates in the xz-plane.  A line traces out the electric field vector as the wave propagates.

A polarizer produces linearly polarized light.  It is often convenient to orient the transmission axis of a polarizer vertically or horizontally to produce light with vertical or horizontal linear polarization.