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Physics and Chemistry

Light, Sound, and Other Waves

How do polarized sunglasses reduce glare?

Sunlight reflected from the horizontal surface of water, glass, and snow is partially polarized, with the direction of polarization chiefly in the horizontal plane. Such reflected light may be so intense as to cause glare. Polarized sunglasses contain filters that block (absorb) light that is polarized in a direction perpendicular to the transmission axes. The transmission axes of the lenses of polarized sunglasses are oriented vertically.



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