Figure 26-4: Polarized Light A light wave consists of oscillating electric and magnetic fields, and the electric field determines the polarization axis. In this illustration, the electric field oscillates up and down in a vertical plane, so the polarization axis is also vertical. Polarized glasses take advantage of the fact that much of the reflective glare from sunlight has its polarizing axis parallel to the ground (perpendicular to the example in this figure). By wearing glasses that block this horizontally polarized light, much of the Sun’s glaring reflections are eliminated.