The little ‘p’ letter after the logo on the front of any pair of Ray-Bans, signifies the lenses are polarised.

As a kid, I used to yearn for a pair of Ray-Bans with that little ‘p’, mainly because I knew it cost more and therefore must (surely) be better.

But I never knew nor cared why they cost more, let alone how they work.

Exhibit A:

Most big shades brands have polarised options. I mainly rolled with a pair of Persols during this year’s visit to Europe (Portofino report coming soon), and remember marvelling at the clarity of the ocean below me during a promenade walk from Portofino to Santa Margherita. I took off my shades and noticed that, while the water was crystal clear, it was only because of my shades that I could see so much deeper.

I showed my little girl and she thought it was magic. She asked how it worked and I realised I had no idea. So I told her it was magic and that was the end of that little explanation.

Instead of the ‘p’ on the lens, Persol usually have a little ‘p’ on the arm – like these new guys I got at Sunglass Hut:

It would be rude of me not to do some research for myself and perhaps you, to find out exactly how polarised lenses work, and what is behind the ‘magic’.

According to howstuffworks.com:

Most of the glare that causes you to wear sunglasses comes from horizontal surfaces, such as water or a highway. When light strikes a surface, the reflected waves are polarized [sic] to match the angle of that surface. So, a highly reflective horizontal surface, such as a lake, will produce a lot of horizontally polarized light. Therefore, the polarized lenses in sunglasses are fixed at an angle that only allows vertically polarized light to enter.

Polarized filters are most commonly made of a chemical film applied to a transparent plastic or glass surface. The chemical compound used will typically be composed of molecules that naturally align in parallel relation to one another. When applied uniformly to the lens, the molecules create a microscopic filter that absorbs any light matching their alignment.

A polarized filter passes only the light that does not match its orientation. Only the part of the light wave that is not aligned with the slots in the filter can pass through. Everything else is absorbed. The light coming through the filter is considered polarized.

Which explains why my brother-in-law, who is a yacht captain, always wears polarised lenses.

Watch this tool explain everything nice and clearly:

Pretty cool.

But it’s not all good news and good vibes. There are some disadvantages to polarised lenses.

Not Appropriate for Snow Sports – In some specific conditions, polarized sunglasses can be inefficient for use during snow sports. Polarized sunglasses can make it difficult to differentiate ice patches as a result of sunbeams reflecting off the snow during downhill skiing or snowboarding.

Not Always Appropriate for Driving – Although the main feature of polarized sunglasses is the ability to reflect glare, which makes them excellent for driving, they can in some circumstances be unsuitable driving. Polarized glasses make liquid crystal displays (LCDs), which also reflect polarized light, practically impossible to read from some angles.

Not Appropriate for Flying – Polarized sunglasses can also be dangerous for pilots. Although polarized sunglasses were first worn by pilots, their applicability in this profession has faltered with the widespread of LCD screens in dashboards of airplanes.

Yeah, sure, tell that to Maverick from Top Gun. He rocked the Ray-Ban Aviator Classic sunglasses, in case you were wondering.

Expensive Eyewear – Polarized sunglasses tend to be more expensive than ordinary sunglasses. If you are looking for sunglasses for winter sports, driving or flying, polarized lenses may not be worth the extra expense.

Yawn. How very dull. Especially seeing as most new LED screens are made to counter all the issues above.

Yup – I think the pros outweigh the cons. I’m polarised all the way!

If you’re after a new pair of sunnies, check out the full range available at Sunglass Hut.