No Polarization Sunglasses

plongson

plongson

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plongson
I have prescription eyeglasses and went looking for NON-POLORIZED prescription sunglasses for the plane...Seems everything available is polarized with polycarbonate lenses. I can get cheaper plastic and have them tinted but that isn't what I'm after...

Where are you getting your sunglasses??
 
I got prescription polarized Oakleys, and just tip my head a little for the L-3 unit. Everything else is visible. Ain't no big thang.
 
Before I needed prescriptions - I found Oakely had a few models that offered non-polarized lenses. They weren't inexpensive, but, they worked great and were very comfortable. The models were "Tinfoil" and "Wire Tap" - but - I don't know what current models are.

Now that I need corrective lenses, I have the progressive lenses made that are corrective and non-polarized.

Dean
 
I had non-polarized Ray-Bans, I think they had glass lenses. Also had non-polarized prescription trivex ones made. I don't recall them being difficult to find.
 
I have ordered a half dozen glasses from zenni.com. I use a pair of sunglasses non-polarized in my prescription. I believe it was only around $60 dollars shipped.
 
What’s the objection to polarized? All my scrip Maui Jims are polarized. Heck, my standard glasses use Transitions and those are polarized, too. Never any problem except with old iPads that weren’t center mounted.
 
Stewartb said:
What’s the objection to polarized? All my scrip Maui Jims are polarized. Heck, my standard glasses use Transitions and those are polarized, too. Never any problem except with old iPads that weren’t center mounted.
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Ophthalmologist and former Naval Flight Surgeon here - we advise against polarized sunglasses mainly because the windscreens on most aircraft are stressed plastic material, which acts as a polarizer. Wearing polarized sunglasses (the analyzer) can generate irregular chromatic aberrations in your view through the windshield. Polarized suns are great for situations where much of the ambient light is horizontally polarized (like off of water or snow) and reduce that glare, but are not helpful for aviation uses.
 
NavAir said:
Ophthalmologist and former Naval Flight Surgeon here - we advise against polarized sunglasses mainly because the windscreens on most aircraft are stressed plastic material, which acts as a polarizer. Wearing polarized sunglasses (the analyzer) can generate irregular chromatic aberrations in your view through the windshield. Polarized suns are great for situations where much of the ambient light is horizontally polarized (like off of water or snow) and reduce that glare, but are not helpful for aviation uses.
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I have never witnessed this in all the years I've worn polarized glasses, and can't count the number of different aircraft I've been in while wearing them. Now, I do see those on my side windows of my truck, but not in any airplane, ever.
 
I've also read that polarized lenses cut down on the glare you'd see reflecting off of another plane's wings, so they are detrimental to spotting traffic. I have no personal experience doing A/B testing though
 
I asked my optometrist for non-polarized sunglasses and 7 days later they arrived on my doorstep.
Not seeing the problem.

I'm sorry, the Devil made me do it.
 
EdFred said:
I have never witnessed this in all the years I've worn polarized glasses, and can't count the number of different aircraft I've been in while wearing them. Now, I do see those on my side windows of my truck, but not in any airplane, ever.
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Consider yourself lucky then (or it isn't noticeable to you). I've seen it in many military and civilian aircraft models (did a study in 1989-90 on laser glare through aircraft windscreens at the Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory).
 
I’ve heard the polarized lens myth for many years, especially for float ops. They work far better than lenses that allow glare to blind me. Now the choice of gray or brown tint? That’s a topic. I used gray for years but have switched to brown.
 
Stewartb said:
I’ve heard the polarized lens myth for many years, especially for float ops. They work far better than lenses that allow glare to blind me. Now the choice of gray or brown tint? That’s a topic. I used gray for years but have switched to brown.
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Just because you haven't experienced it does not mean it's a myth.

Nauga,
aligned
 
American Optical for the classic look
Serengeti for lighter but still glass lenses
 
nauga said:
Just because you haven't experienced it does not mean it's a myth.

Nauga,
aligned
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My flying is limited to little airplanes with acrylic windows. In that environment and with my chosen instruments polarized lenses have no down side.
 
I’ve been going to Pearle Vision for years. They’re a chain so I’m not sure if you have any near you.
 
Shepherd said:
I asked my optometrist for non-polarized sunglasses and 7 days later they arrived on my doorstep.
Not seeing the problem.

I'm sorry, the Devil made me do it.
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The issue with that solution, for me, is that I'd have to have an optometrist to ask in the first place.
 
Stewartb said:
I’ve heard the polarized lens myth for many years, especially for float ops. They work far better than lenses that allow glare to blind me. Now the choice of gray or brown tint? That’s a topic. I used gray for years but have switched to brown.
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Myth, huh? Could have fooled me! ;)

517BEEE0-D6A7-47CC-BA48-8021659BD1BD.jpeg
 
Lndwarrior said:
Raybans forever
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That's a company riding on a myth. Last two pairs I bought were cheap chinesium sh¡t with easy to scratch polycarbonate lenses. Oh, and they were polarized so things were wobbly if you turned your head and LCD screens were black. Just awful.
 
NavAir said:
Consider yourself lucky then (or it isn't noticeable to you). I've seen it in many military and civilian aircraft models (did a study in 1989-90 on laser glare through aircraft windscreens at the Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory).
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I wouldn't call it luck.
 
GeorgeC said:
I had non-polarized Ray-Bans, I think they had glass lenses. Also had non-polarized prescription trivex ones made. I don't recall them being difficult to find.
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Lots of non polarized Ray Bans out there... Thats what I used.
 
To your original question: I couldn't find a place that would make prescription non polarized polycarbonate sunglasses. The only option was to have "standard" (plastic) lens custom tinted.

BTW -
I had to go to three different places to just find anything non polarized. The one place that was able to give me what I needed to my surprise was WalMart. They provided a nice set of non-polarized prescription progressive bifocals with gradient tinting to help with reading instruments.

The optometrist even commented when I gave him my laundry list "Oh, you must be a pilot".
 
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I get Zenni ones as well. You get the choice of either regular tints, photochromatic, or polarized in your choices of high impact or high refractive index material (all polycarbonate). If you're ex-military they also throw another discount you're way. I get their standard aviation frames with a variety of lenses including ones with the progressive break set so it works well when I'm sitting at computers for extended times.

The main reason for not getting polarized is interference with LCD displays that are pretty prevalent in most planes. I don't buy the "you won't see the glint" argument. Polarization makes things clearer giving your best chance of having the contrast necessary to detect the targets rather than hoping the sun is going to hit them just right that you get a noticeable glint.
 
EdFred said:
I wonder if that's a difference between 121/military and spam can windscreens. Kinda like why seat belts aren't required on motorcycles.
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There must be. I could wear my polarized prescription sunglasses all day in a Cirrus without any issues. Also the CRJ was fine unless I turned my head a certain angle. 737, 757, and 767 I have to wear my non polarized prescription sunglasses otherwise I wouldn’t be able to see any screens or out the windows.
 
Joe_B1 said:
Non polarized clip-on's. Many places sell them, they are cheap if you break them and work perfectly in the plane.
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I get my clip- one from Amazon. I found out why you want no polarized at an AOPA Safety Seminar. The electronic display polarization is 90 degrees different than the sunglasses so the display goes dark.

I have regular transition progressive lenses. I should ask about tuning the transition coating for my next pair.
 
jordane93 said:
There must be. I could wear my polarized prescription sunglasses all day in a Cirrus without any issues. Also the CRJ was fine unless I turned my head a certain angle. 737, 757, and 767 I have to wear my non polarized prescription sunglasses otherwise I wouldn’t be able to see any screens or out the windows.
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I've had zero issues in Rockwells, Pipers, Cessnas, Mooneys, Grummans, and homebuilts as well.
 
I've purchased a couple of pair of glasses from 39dollarglasses.com. They were more than 39 with the extras, but they were otherwise fine. Last pair I bought from my eye dr. They were about $250 more, single vision.

FWIW I know that the polarized thing is real, but I fly with polarized sunglasses and it hasn't been an issue for me. But I fly in old airplanes with steam gauges, and the only coating on the windows is scratches.
 
allPrimes said:
I bought an inexpensive pair for inside the cockpit from Zenni.com. Inexpensive and lots of pretty basic styles. I've bought two pairs of Rx glasses from then, one regular and the non-polarized sunglasses. Both have worked well for me.
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Me too, non polarized Aviators and they even have a gradient tint option so you can see the instruments and look like a Mafia Don at the same time. Also cheap, I think they were less the a hundred bucks.
 
Thanks all! I'll check out all the options...We fly an old plane too but use an Android tablet with Garmin Pilot that goes black with standard polarization eyewear.
 
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