UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Has anyone on here noticed they can improve their vision by using a polarised lens?

I noticed when sitting in a car last year (wearing my specs) (waiting for the wife)and looking at car number plates that if
1) I wore my polarised sunglasses over my specs I could see "better" - more easily read the number plates on other parked cars
2) I then tried holding the sunglasses in front of my specs and rotated them - I expected the sun glinting off the car windows would brighten and be cut down - which it did but I also noticed that at some points in the "rotation" of the sunglasses that the number plates were clearer and at other points damn near illegible I presume the polarisation plane worked with and against the KC,

Does anyone know of a study that has been done on this and if so could plain polarised lenses (contact lens or specs) be an aid to KC eyesight? (By plain I mean clear - not dark sunglasses which would only work out doors)

Thanks
Ian

Ian

That sounds like a really interesting point. I'm afraid that I have not noticed the effect, but I am sure that there will be somebody along in a moment who can answer your question.

Every good wish

Andrew

Very interesting finding!
I've long worn y polarised sunglasses, and am almost never out and about without them.
I find them an enormous help in cutting out glar and reducing the light sensitivity.
Can't say I'd noticed any improvement in visual acuity (how well I can see) but it would seem obvious that if/when it is the glare that is maing it hard to see sharply, then cutting out the glare would improve the vision.
That would seem relevant to number plates, which are made of a higly reflective material to make them easier to read under certain lighting conditions (I have recently been going round out stable yard after dark with one of those torch-on-a-headband things, and it is amazing how the number plates on the back of the horse box jump out of the dark in the barn when the head-torch hits them!).
Have you noticed any link between the angle at which the polarising glasses give the clearest image and the darkest (or least dark) view?
ROsemary

Anyone with KC feel like testing this for me?

Wear you glasses / lenses or what ever

Look at something - in my case it was number plates

Hold your POLARISED sunglasses in front of your eye and rotate them when looking through the lens

Does the clarity of your vision change?

I'm intreagued with this and surprised nobody has tried and commented


Thanks
Ian

Polorised sunglasses are my salvation and luxuary purchases, I am sure I keep TKMAXX in buisiness for sunglasses sales here in Leeds. The reduction of glare and light sensitivity is fantastic with them compared to regular shades, even when I am on the computer I can be found in a pair of polorised lens x

Please homour me and just try holding the polarised glasses and rotating them
Obviously you can only do 1 eye at a time!

Does you vision change?
Thanks
Ian

Ian,

I have just had a go a rotating my sunglasses and:

Left eye (6/6 vision) slightly sharper vision when glasses rotated through 90 degreess.

Right eye no change when wearing any of the three lenses I have for this eye (the lenses have different levels of vision and comfort). I don't seem to be able to get good vision and comfort for my right eye.

Lia

Hi Lia

Many thanks
I believe I stumbled onto something that may aid KC sufferers in getting better vision.
Now how to get Optometrists to give it a scientific trial and get glasses made with the polarisation in the correct plane

Ian

Hi Ian I just posted about this my polarised sunglasses really sharpen up my driving vision just did a quick swivel and it made no difference.

Unfortunately, there are many reasons why people may not get good vision with KC and it varies with every person and, with the same person, between eyes. I can understand your "Eureka" moment, but the polarisation effect you have noticed may be because your refraction may not be fully corrected in glasses. It also may be simply because it IS reducing glare.

Also, you cannot get clear polaroid lenses (much though I wish I could for my patients!) because the crystals embedded n the lens that create the polarisation are themselves coloured.

However, what you COULD do is explain the effect to your optometrist. In theory, as you can get prescription polarised lenses, they could identify angle required to produce the desired result and then get the labs to cut the lenses with the polaroid lens at this angle.

Lynn