Polarized Sunglasses
If you are going out on the water or driving all day in the Florida sunshine, you know how important it is to have a pair of quality sunglasses.
For years, boaters and fishermen have used polarized sunglasses to reduce glare because they spend so much time on the water. In the past few years, however, the benefits of polarized sunglasses have been recognized by a variety of other outdoor sports enthusiasts.The popularity of polarized lenses has increased dramatically, as has availability because of everyday outdoors general use.
Polarization is like a chemical venetian blind which rearranges light and lets you see "through" glare. The most effective way to eliminate glare is with 100% polarized lenses.
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 polarizer's in the lenses. The result is a reduction in annoying and sometimes dangerous glare.
Fact: The glare of the sun on the sea (and other surfaces) is highly polarized.
Do polarized sunglasses help see fish below the water surface? Yes. First, if there is glare, they help a lot by reducing its blinding effect. Second, even without glare they selectively reduce other reflections from objects above the water, including the clouds and even the sky. Finally, light coming from under water is slightly polarized in the vertical plane. The end effect is that the water seems darker but more transparent.
The use of different color lenses, will help you see into the water with better clarity.
For example, amber and green lenses (normally used for inshore fishing) filter the lighter greenish type shallow water glare allowing you to see the bottom and fish more clearly. Blue and grey lenses are used for offshore fishing. These colors filter reflective glare from the darker blue waters allowing you to see fish and bait farther down into the water column.
A pair of sunglasses when fishing or just in the sun all day, will also keep your eyes protected from UV exposure.
If you think that you need polarized lenses then it is best to look for a pair of sunglasses with polarizing filters. Although it may be possible to find sunglasses at a low price that are polarized, it is more than likely that the lenses will only have a polarized coating on the surface. It is better to shop around and find a lens which actually has polarizing glass.
When buying a pair of polarized sunglasses, the quality of the lenses will make all the difference in the world.
Go ahead and put on a pair of quality polarized sunglasses and see what's out there!
Capt Gary Burch
AllCatchCharters.com