Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help All Polarized Sunglasses not same for seeing fish

one of our brethren recently contacted me about sunglasses and I'm posting the essence of my response here.

Polycarbonate is the most impact-resistant lens material on the market but needs, and usually has, a scratch-resistant coating. To be considered "safety glasses", the frame must meet certain standards as well as the lenses.

In my opinion, everything beyond impact resistance, scratch resistance, UV absorbency, and absence of prism and surface distortion is window dressing. Polarization is wonderful with light reflected off water; the closer the angle of incidence of light is to 57 degrees and the smoother the water, the better.

Anti reflectance coatings actually give a slightly blurred image but most in the industry won't use the term "blurred" (which sounds unacceptable) preferring to call it a "soft image" (which sounds much more acceptable, perhaps even desirable).

Colorwise, gray tint offers the best color transmission. Yellow is great in low light conditions (dawn, dusk and very dark days) but you wouldn't want to use yellow in full daylight. Yellowish tints are also sometimes helpful to patients with advanced macular degeneration.

Polycarbonate is inherently UV absorbent so don't let someone sell you a UV coating on poly lenses.

You don't have to spend a small fortune to get a good pair of sunglasses. If they're UV absorbent, you're not around heavy stuff flying through the air, gray tinted, polarized if you're on water, and if you're clear and comfortable wearing them, then go for it. Even Foster Grants.

To add to the above, no manufacturer will be long in business if they're selling glasses that will damage you visually. This applies to both sunglasses and reading glasses. Many believe that the over the counter reading glasses are not "good" for your eyes. Not true. They might not give you the greatest comfort or the greatest visual effenciency and they might scratch and bend or break easily but they won't injure you. They are not ophthalmic perfection, but pricewise, they're disposable! And if you're a hyperope (farsighted) without a lot of astigmatism or a great difference in lens powers, you can get adequate emergency eyewear right off the rack.

You can also wear diamond studded gold eyewear while fishing and watch 'em take a drink. To some, it's only money. I've never been so fortunate.

I've edited this to add that scratch proof doesn't exist, and scratch resistant is nothing more than scratch resistant.