For years, boaters and fishermen have used polarized sunglasses to reduce glare from the water that they spend so much time on. In the past few years, however, the benefits of polarized sunglasses have been realized by a variety of other outdoor sports enthusiasts as well as by drivers and general use wearers. The popularity of polarized lenses has increased dramatically, as has availability.

Besides boaters, people that benefit most from polarized sunglasses include skiers, golfers, bikers, and joggers, who enjoy a clearer view and elimination of glare.
These sunglasses can be used for driving and in fact can reduce the glare that comes off a long, flat surface such as the hood of the car or the surface of a road. Polarized sunglasses can also be used indoors by light-sensitive people such as post-cataract surgery patients or by those exposed to bright light through windows.
How Do Polarized Lenses Work?
Light reflected from surfaces like a flat road or smooth water is generally horizontally polarized. This horizontally polarized light is blocked by the vertically oriented polarizers in the lenses.
The result: a reduction in annoying and sometimes dangerous glare.
There is some debate on the effects of polarized lenses on snow-covered surfaces. Some experts say they can reduce the intense glare that is caused by sunlight reflecting off snow. Others purport that the lenses are not satisfactory for sports such as downhill skiing because they may not provide the contrast the eye needs to distinguish ice patches or moguls.
In addition, polarized lenses may also react adversely with liquid crystal displays (LCDs) found on the dashboards of some cars or in other places such as the digital screens on automatic teller (bank) machines. The problem with LCDs is that when viewed through polarized lenses from a certain angle, they can be invisible.
However, for most other sports and activities, polarized sunglasses can offer great advantages. And today, many types of polarized lenses are available on the market.