Polarized Lenses vs. UV Protection

Walk into any sunglasses shop and you’ll hear two words over and over: UV and polarized. They sound similar, but they do very different jobs. Here’s the short version, and why we like to give you both.

UV protection: the one that protects your eyes

Ultraviolet light can damage the surface of the eye and the tissues inside it over time. A UV filter in the lens blocks it. That’s what UV100% means: the lens blocks all UV rays. Two things are worth knowing:

• UV protection has nothing to do with how dark a lens looks. A pale lens can block UV, and a dark lens without a filter can be worse than no lens at all, because your pupils open wider behind it.
• Polarization does not add UV protection on its own. Always check the label for the UV rating.

Every pair of Lenoir sunglasses has UV100% protection and category 3 lenses, the category made for bright sunlight.

Polarized lenses: the one that cuts glare

Light that bounces off water, wet roads, snow or a car bonnet becomes horizontal and harsh. A polarized filter blocks that horizontal light and lets the rest through, so the world looks clearer, with richer colour and less squinting. It’s not about safety as much as comfort, but on a long drive or a day on the water, comfort matters.

The trade-off: polarized lenses can make some LCD screens, such as a car dashboard or a phone, look dim or patchy when you tilt your head. It’s a small thing, and you get used to it.

Which should you choose?

• Driving, water, snow or the beach: choose polarized.
• City walks and everyday wear: either works, as long as the lens is UV100%.
• Not sure? Pick polarized. You’ll rarely regret it.

Most of our styles combine both. The Cassis, for example, has polarized lenses with a water-repellent coating, and the Pure pairs polarized colour lenses with a bamboo frame. Browse the full sunglasses collection to find your match.