Prescription sunglasses at the helm

[Maldwin]

I have to get some new prescription sunglasses. My current ones are progressive and polarized, so I sometimes have to take them off to read instruments. I am thinking of ordering a new pair unpolarized for use in the ocean, and keeping a polarized pair for more shallow areas. What do you think?

 

[SteveK]

Unpolarized if looking thru glass for me. But not sun activated tinting (name?). I had a pair of those driving car and got a headache/eye ache before I realized they were not changing due to polarized windshield.
Had polarized on sailboat, that worked well.

 

[luna]

Maldwin

I think you should renew your BoatUS Membership, get a new Sea Tow Gold Card, double your current insurance limits and half the deductibles.
Then as you say, keep the polarized pair for the more shallow areas.

 

[twistedtree]

What instruments are you having trouble reading? And it's definitely because of polarization, and not just that they are too dim to read with sun glasses? I ask because I'm a bit surprised to hear of marine displays that don't work with polarized sun glasses. Most seem to have that figured out.

 

[tpbrady]

In my experience with polarized sunglasses, the polarization is either horizontal or vertical and if the glass on the screen you are looking at is the same polarization as your glasses it basically appears black. I can view the screen on my laptop with my sunglasses on, but if I take the glasses off and rotate them 90 degrees the laptop screen turns black. With the other screens on the MFDs and instruments, if memory serve me correctly go dark when I have rotated through 45 degrees. My presumption is those manufacturers put their glass in canted 45 degrees. I just did a small experiment with my Garmin watch and it went dark at 45 degrees. The same experiment with my iPad indicated Apple doesn’t use polarized glass as the screen was viewable at any angle.

Tom

 

[alansails]

I would go back to my optomitrist that prescribed them and tell him what your uses are and what you need!
Just my thought

 

[twistedtree]

In my experience with polarized sunglasses, the polarization is either horizontal or vertical and if the glass on the screen you are looking at is the same polarization as your glasses it basically appears black. I can view the screen on my laptop with my sunglasses on, but if I take the glasses off and rotate them 90 degrees the laptop screen turns black. With the other screens on the MFDs and instruments, if memory serve me correctly go dark when I have rotated through 45 degrees. My presumption is those manufacturers put their glass in canted 45 degrees. I just did a small experiment with my Garmin watch and it went dark at 45 degrees. The same experiment with my iPad indicated Apple doesn’t use polarized glass as the screen was viewable at any angle.

Tom

That’s my understanding too. It’s just that all the recent screens I have dealt with have the polarization going in the “correct” direction, which I guess means the direction is standardized on sun glasses. Or I’ve just gotten REALLY lucky which I rather doubt.

 

[Mac2]

Unpolarized for me. I have the whole array of sunglasses. Contacts with sunglasses, progressive sunglasses etc. I had the same problem with reading my instruments. For me it is a clear progressive lens or contacts and non polarized sunglasses with Click reading glasses around my neck. As I get closer to the water (dinghy) I prefer the polarized sunglasses. Not necessarily to see better, but for the calming affect of taming the reflections.

 

[Delta Riverat]

I like clip on, flip ups for my regular glasses. Avoids the hassle of having to remove them every time you go from the sun back to the cabin so you see again and vice versa.

 

[ranger58sb]

We use both prescription polarized sunglasses and prescription Transitions eyeglasses... usually depending on whether we're actually looking right into the sun (or direct reflection) or not.

No issues seeing/reading installed marine MFDs.

Rotating tablets or phones can turn the small screens black with the polarized sunglasses. So we don't do that... or we change to Transitions eyeglasses if feasible.

We wouldn't do without either, though...

-Chris