Do Polarized Lenses make you dizzy, or give you headaches?
A quick search online will tell you that there are people concerned about getting dizzy, nauseous, or even experiencing headaches when wearing polarized lenses. On the other hand, a vast majority seems to find either no effect or even relief from headache symptoms while wearing polarized lenses. So what’s the story?
Polarized lenses are used in some sunglasses in order to cut down on glare. Anyone who has experienced migraine knows that glare can be like a knife going through your head. Thus, quality sunglasses are popular with migraine sufferers.
Although those marketing sunglasses are naturally anxious to defend their products, there are good reasons to believe that the polarization itself, in a majority of cases, is probably not the culprit.
First, as already mentioned, migraine patients are much more likely to appreciate quality polarized lenses than to avoid them. Secondly, because quality sunglasses (such as these) tend to be expensive, cheap versions are often purchased which may have distortions in the lenses – and this certainly could lead to the symptoms mentioned above.
Also, any new lenses, especially (but not exclusively) prescription sunglasses, do take time to get used to. At first, any new lenses may cause some unwanted symptoms.
Do these things explain everyone’s complaints of headache or dizziness from polarized lenses? Probably not, which is why it may be something worth studying in a clinical trial.
However, for most migraine patients, quality polarized lenses are probably going to be a benefit, if you give them a little time. In fact, there are polarized lenses especially designed for migraine patients. And lessening migraine symptoms are not the only benefits.
Have you experienced any strange symptoms only when wearing polarized sunglasses? What have you done that has helped? Leave a comment!
23 May 2018 @ 4:59 pm
Over the past year I’ve started feeling really disoriented whilst driving, to the point I’ve had to pull over. This started happening every time I drove for any period of 20minutes+
Went to the doctors and an opticians and they said everything was fine.
Then realised that a year ago I switched from regular sunglasses (ray-bans) to polarised, switched back to regular sunglasses and haven’t had an issue since.
I can get a headache when using glasses to watch movies in 3D, so not sure if that’s related.
4 June 2018 @ 6:39 pm
I suffer from vertigo really badly. Was told by a friend after I purchased a new pair of prescription sunglasses that they shouldn’t be polarized.
Too late.
23 June 2018 @ 12:56 pm
Wore a pair of polarized sunglasses today for the first time. After about an hour of driving noticed that my eyes were strained and head hurt. I will be returning them for sure
6 July 2018 @ 3:09 pm
I get headaches and nausea while wearing polarized lenses. I do not suffer from migraines or get headaches. The polarized lenses that I have tried were from reputable manufacturers of sunglasses. I have tried multiple brands with the same results.
21 July 2018 @ 8:41 pm
I thought I had lost my polarized sun glasses a year ago my son showed up with them, today I wore them out on a hike and after a out an hour or so started to get blurry vision and a headache, I remembered right away I had the same symptoms last year after I purchased them, I have to say they defentaly are the cause now, will not be wearing them again.
6 August 2020 @ 12:44 am
This is hilarious. You’re advertising sunglasses while being “neutral”?
Jefferson Headache Center in Philadelphia has done studies on polarized lenses and people with all types of headache, migraine disorders, benign vertigo and dizziness and other positional vertigo.
They found that an overwhelming majority of patients had issues when taking away horizontal light. Their brains do not process it properly.
Do some research before you put up slop like this. It’s simply irresponsible. It’s not just Jefferson either. PENN, Mayo Clinic, John’s Hopkins … this is widely known.
9 October 2022 @ 2:00 pm
Has anyone found studies / sources regarding the claims of @ Jamison Jentner (previous comment) that this is widely know?
I would like to read into this subject.
Any ressources are appreciated.