[ask] Tactical Goggles

[alistair]

hi, I want to ask about tactical goggles,
a. Sometimes I saw some soldiers wearing tactical goggles. The goggles often tinted yellow. What is the purpose of tinted goggles? As far as I know, yellow goggles make the bright light dimmer and the dim light brighter. Is that true?

b. If the above is true, excluding the quality of lens (if there are lenses) / UV protection (maybe?) / materials etc, is there difference between cheap tinted goggles and expensive one?

thx

 

[Heruamarth]

hi, I want to ask about tactical goggles,
a. Sometimes I saw some soldiers wearing tactical goggles. The goggles often tinted yellow. What is the purpose of tinted goggles? As far as I know, yellow goggles make the bright light dimmer and the dim light brighter. Is that true?

b. If the above is true, excluding the quality of lens (if there are lenses) / UV protection (maybe?) / materials etc, is there difference between cheap tinted goggles and expensive one?

thx

Goggles are intended to protect eyes, from dirt and debris, from impact such as small particles or empty cartridges, and from sun. Some goggles can even offer ballistic protection. When you're in an busy environment, you want to keep your eyes safe.

Tinted lenses are actually being used to offer some protection from sun. They essentially filter out harmful UV rays, but tinting makes sun a bit easygoing on eyes. Also, as you've mentioned, yellow/orange lenses make it easier to see mid to low light conditions, like dusk and dawn.

 

[gf0012-aust]

the tint is about contrast management:

What to look for in Shooting Glasses

Lens color
This really comes down to personal preferences. Lens today come in a wide range of colors from dark gray or smoke to amber to purple. Some info on specific colors:

Smoke, Gray and Gray-Green tints - The most common type of lens color. They are effective at blocking glare without changing color perception, making them a good choice for all-weather use. Gray is a neutral, or "true," color that allows the wearer to see all colors as they are. Gray shooting lenses do not enhance the target, but they are good in bright sunlight.

Amber-Brown lens tints - Especially good at blocking the blue light commonly found in diffused light such as one might experience on a cloudy day. Amber can improve both contrast and depth perception, and is a good all-around choice for shooting or hunting.

Yellow or Orange tints - Improve contrast and give a sensation of heightened visual acuity. So-called "Driving" lenses are usually amber or yellow-brown. Lenses in these hues block haze and blue light and enhance the orange color of the target. The brighter yellow the lens color is, the better it is for use at night.

Purple-Vermillion tints - A light purple color, which is actually a combination of a neutral gray and a vermilion, is good for enhancing the orange of the target against a background of tall trees. Vermilion itself is useful to highlight conditions where there is poor background, such as trees, and to enhance the target against the background. If you haven't shot with purple tint glasses, it does take some getting use to.

and from the Physics Forum:

Human eyes are more sensitive to light in the yellow part of the spectrum. The glasses reduce the total light reaching your eyes, causing the pupils to dilate, to let in more light. But the light blocked by the glasses is in the spectrum at which the eyes are least sensitive to begin with, So more yellow light reaches the retina.

This same thing caused problems with older cheap sunglasses. They blocked light, causing pupil dilation, but they didn't block UV. The upshot was that the dilated pupils let in more of the unblocked and dangerous UV.

Helmet visors as used by some combat pilots in specific aircraft are gold or iridium tinted

and finally from another shooters site:

Lens tints also can be a factor in the performance of shooting glasses. Many shooters are comfortable in lenses that are yellow or orange. Lenses in these hues block haze and blue light and enhance the orange color of the target. The brighter yellow the lens color is, the better it is for use in low contrast and near-dark conditions.

Alternatively, a light purple color, which actually is a combination of a neutral gray and a vermilion, is good for enhancing the orange of a target against a background of tall trees.

Vermilion itself is useful to highlight conditions where there is poor background, such as trees, and to enhance the target against the background. Gray is a neutral, or "true," color that lets you see all colors as they are. Gray shooting lenses do not enhance the target, but they reduce glare in bright sunlight.

Polarized shooting lenses can be made in almost any color. Polarized lenses reduce glare caused by light reflecting off water and other flat surfaces, so outdoor vision is enhanced.

 

[alistair]

ow, now I understand.
thx to both of you~