Baseball players rely on sharp eyes to catch or bat a ball with perfect timing. However, when the sun hits the eyes and impedes vision, the perfect catch can turn into an embarrassing miss. While there are a variety of sunglasses on the market, one option for baseball players is the polarized lens. These special lenses are known for their ability to eliminate glare in a variety of sport-specific settings.
Significance
Polarized lenses are special filters that can be applied to a pair of sunglasses to reduce glare. Polarized lenses help to focus the sun's rays more carefully by filtering out horizontal light that leads to glare, leaving only vertical light to pass through the sunglasses' lenses. The result is clearer vision, especially for someone who is looking into the sun as much as a baseball player typically does.
Applications
There are two types of polarized filter applications available for baseball players. The first is a polarized coating applied to the outer portion of the lens. This coating helps to reduce glare, but because it requires the use of an adhesive, the adhesive may break down over time, reducing the effectiveness of the polarized coating. Other styles are available that either sandwich the polarized filter into the lens or are actually poured in with the lens to provide polarization. These lens types often are manufactured as "sports" lenses because they are typically more durable. This is advantageous for baseball players, as sport-related collisions or a ball striking the eye can damage the eye. Because polarized filters built or poured into the sunglasses tend to be stronger, these coating types may help to better protect a baseball player's eyes. They do, however, tend to be more expensive.
Best Player Positions
Polarized lenses work best on flat surfaces like a fisherman looking across the water, because these surfaces tend to create more glare-inducing horizontal waves. This is advantageous for baseball players like basemen who tend to look at the same-colored, flat dirt surface. Wearing the polarized lens can help to cut down on the glare experienced by prolonged looking at a certain surface.
Benefits
Over time, exposure to ultraviolet light and glare can damage the rods and cones in the back of the eyes that help a baseball player to see clearly in dim and bright lights. Sun exposure can also lead to a clouding of the vision due to cataracts. Wearing polarized glasses that also feature an ultraviolet light filter can help baseball players cut down on damage to the eye. By wearing a polycarbonate or other durable lens material, players also can reduce injury risk.
