Driving and Polarized Sunglasses

Do you wear eyeglasses? Do you also own polarized prescription sunglasses?  If not, what do you do when you are driving on a sunny day?

A recent survey (conducted by Essilor) shows that 1 in 5 eyeglass wearers will take their prescription eyewear off to wear non-prescription sunglasses when they are driving!  While we appreciate the fact that these people are protecting their eyes from harmful UV rays, they are putting themselves in a great deal of danger by reducing their visual acuity.  This same survey showed that only 1 out of every 3 eyeglass wearers owns a pair of prescription sunglasses with polarized lenses.  Polarized lenses dramatically reduce blinding glare caused by the sun, snow, and reflections off of other cars – all reasons cited by the National Safety Transportation Board as significant contributing factors for fatal car accidents.  In a related study, Essilor found that drivers wearing polarized lenses improved their reaction times by one-third of a second.  Now that might not sound like much, but for a vehicle driving at 50 mph, one-third of a second results in stopping 23 feet sooner, equivalent to  the distance of your typical intersection!

Don’t you think it is time to think about polarized prescription sunglasses?  Here at The Vision Center at Seaside Farms we offer polarized prescription options from Maui Jim, Xperio, and Ray-Ban.  Stop by today and try a pair to see the difference polarized lenses can make.