Are All Ray-Bans Polarised? And What Are the Benefits of Polarised Lenses?

Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re interested in purchasing a pair of Ray-Bans. We can’t blame you. Ray-Ban has been making sunglasses that are both attractive and functional since 1937. It’s a brand known for quality and stylishness. In fact, the sunglasses-makers are so popular that we buy over $2 billion worth of Ray-Bans every year.

Whether your thing is Aviators, Wayfarers or something else entirely, they’ll most likely have something for you.

You might also be thinking of treating your eyes to a set of polarised lenses. This would be a great call too. You probably know less about polarised shades than you do about Ray-Bans, but there’s much to be said for the benefits of upgrading your lenses.

So let’s begin by going through the many advantages of polarising your sunglasses.

Why Go for Polarised Shades?

The main benefit you gain from polarised lenses comes from their ability to filter out glare. The intense bursts of light often reflected off of surfaces like water, metal and snow are no match for these sunglasses.

Why? Polarised lenses are coated in a practically invisible chemical film which only leaves vertical openings for beams of light. Most reflected glare travels in horizontal beams, so cannot penetrate the lenses in polarised shades. 

That may sound a bit too much like a science lesson, but the important thing to take away is that these lenses will protect you from all kinds of glare; the kind that temporarily impairs your vision, potentially causing dangerous accidents; snow blindness which, in the worst instances, can burn your eyes; and the mild glare which may only seem annoying at the time, but can actually cause you to get cataracts in the long-term.

Simple tinted lenses, or even those offering UV protection, don’t shield your eyes like this. If you want to properly protect your retinas, you should look for a pair of polarised sunglasses.

They come with plenty of other perks too. The way they filter light means you will enjoy clearer vision, especially in bright light. Images seen through polarised lenses will have increased contrast and reduced colour distortion.

They allow you to see into water more clearly, making them great for people who enjoy sailing, fishing, water sports or simply lounging on the beach. By minimising your exposure to glare and reflected light, polarised lenses also reduce eyestrain in their users.

The list of reasons to try polarised sunglasses is huge. So now you’re sold on them, I guess you have one important question:

Can You Get a Pair of Polarised Ray-Bans?

Yes, Ray-Ban has a great range of sunglasses with polarised lenses. But beware, not all Ray-Bans are polarised. Ray-Ban actually offer eight different types of sunglass lenses. One of these is their trademarked polarised lens, complete with anti-reflective coating.

Of course, this can make things confusing for consumers. You may not want to order your Ray-Bans directly from their website. If you find yourself examining a pair of sunglasses away from one of their official stores, you may need to make sure their lenses are polarised on your own.

So how can you tell if a pair of Ray-Bans has polarised lenses? Thankfully, they’ve made this very simple for us. Just look for the “P”! This will appear on the right lense, next to the Ray-Ban logo. If your Ray-Bans have a “P”, their lenses are polarised.

But your best option will always be to choose a reputable seller. Many exist but our favourite is The Sunglass Fix. Not only are they reasonably priced, but we love the way they can restore your existing sunglasses by replacing the lenses. If you already have a perfectly fine pair of Ray-Bans without polarised lenses but would like to upgrade, these guys offer you a great, cost-effective solution. We highly recommend them.

So there you have it. You know all about Ray-Bans and you know the benefits of polarised lenses. And now you also know how to combine the two to find your perfect pair of sunglasses.