A visor (also spelled vizor) is a surface that protects the eyes, such as shading them from the sun or other bright light or protecting them from objects. Nowadays many visors are transparent, but before strong transparent substances such as

polycarbonate Polycarbonates (PC) are a group of thermoplastic polymers containing carbonate groups in their chemical structures. Polycarbonates used in engineering are strong, tough materials, and some grades are optically transparent. They are easily work ...

were invented, visors were opaque like a

mask A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment and often they have been employed for rituals and rights. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practic ...

* The part of a helmet in a suit of armor that protects the eyes. *A type of

headgear Headgear, headwear, or headdress is the name given to any element of clothing which is worn on one's head, including hats, helmets, turbans and many other types. Headgear is worn for many purposes, including protection against the elements, de ...

consisting only of a visor and a band as a way to fasten it around the head. *Any such vertical surface on any hat or helmet. *Any such horizontal surface on any hat or helmet (called a ''

peak Peak or The Peak may refer to: Basic meanings Geology * Mountain peak ** Pyramidal peak, a mountaintop that has been sculpted by erosion to form a point Mathematics * Peak hour or rush hour, in traffic congestion * Peak (geometry), an (''n''-3)-di ...

'' in

British English British English (BrE, en-GB, or BE) is, according to Lexico, Oxford Dictionaries, "English language, English as used in Great Britain, as distinct from that used elsewhere". More narrowly, it can refer specifically to the English language in ...

). *A device in an

automobile A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with Wheel, wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, pe ...

that the driver or front passenger can lower over part of the

windshield The windshield (North American English) or windscreen (Commonwealth English) of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike, truck, train, boat or streetcar is the front window, which provides visibility while protecting occupants from the elements. Mo ...

to block the sun (

sun visor A sun visor is a component of an automobile located on the interior just above the windshield (also known as the windscreen). They are designed with a hinged flap that is adjustable to help shade the eyes of drivers and passengers from the gla ...

Modern era

Some modern devices called visors are similar, for example: *

Visor (ice hockey) A hockey helmet is worn by players of ice hockey, inline hockey, and bandy to help protect the head from potential injury when hit by the puck, sticks, skates, boards, other players, or the ice. The shell of a hockey helmet is generally ma ...

Types of modern transparent visors include: *The transparent or semi-transparent front part of a motorcycle crash helmet or police

riotsquad helmet A riot protection helmet is a type of helmet designed for law enforcement and military use to protect its wearer's head, face and eyes from handheld melee weapons, and thrown projectiles such as bricks, as may be met in riot control. Many modern ...

s **Safety face shields used in construction, industry, or medical settings *An

eyeshield An eyeshield is a piece of football equipment that is also referred to as a visor that was created in the 1980s. In the mid 1990s as an effort to prevent brain and head injuries, headgear became mandatory in the game of football. The eyeshield w ...

to protect the eyes from sunlight on an American football helmet *A shield to protect the eyes from sunlight on a flight helmet or space suit *

Green eyeshade Green eyeshades are a type of visor that were worn most often from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century by accountants, telegraphers, copy editors and others engaged in vision-intensive, detail-oriented occupations to lessen eye strain d ...

s, formerly worn by

accountants An accountant is a practitioner of accounting or accountancy. Accountants who have demonstrated competency through their professional associations' certification exams are certified to use titles such as Chartered Accountant, Chartered Certifi ...

and others engaged in vision-intensive, detail-oriented occupation.

References

{{Hats Hats Riot control equipment Safety clothing

Modern era

See also

References