Eyeglasses come in a number of different materials and lens types. The best type of eyeglass lenses for you depend largely on your prescription, but also on the lifestyle that you lead.
Different Types of Eyeglass Lens’ Materials
Plastic
Plastic lenses are great if you’re looking for something light and unobtrusive, while glass lenses can be more durable and scratch-resistant than plastic ones.
If you want something lightweight that won’t break easily when dropped, plastic lenses are the way to go.
Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate is also popular because it’s both strong and lightweight; they’re usually used in sports eyeglasses.
Hi-Index Plastic
Hi-index plastic is another lightweight lens that’s thinner, more flexible and stronger than standard plastic.
Hi-index plastic is a good choice if you have a high prescription, as they’re thinner and lighter than glass lenses.
Trivex
Trivex is a type of polycarbonate with some unique properties: it’s extremely resistant to scratches, can be polished back to its original shape if warped or folded, and has a lower index of refraction which means the lenses are flatter.
Glass
Glass lenses are often chosen for their durability, especially in high-wear areas like the rims.
Glass lenses are also scratch resistant and can be polished to get rid of unsightly marks.
These types of eyeglass lenses usually come in larger sizes so they’re not often prescribed for children.
What Can Be Added to Eyeglass Lenses?
When you visit an optometrist or ophthalmologist, you will be given a prescription for your eyeglasses lenses.
The prescription is important as it ensures that the lenses are right for your eyes and gives specific instructions as to their design, such as power and size.
Depending on what kind of glasses you’re having made, you can have a number of different things added to your lenses. Here are some examples:
Transitions
Transitions lenses adapt from clear indoors to dark outside. These aren’t available for everyone since they work on UV light and not visible light.
Anti-Reflective Coating
Anti-reflective coating makes it easier to see by reducing glare and reflections.
This is a great lens treatment for almost any sort of lenses, particularly high prescriptions, since it makes them appear less obvious.
Scratch Resistance Coating
Scratch resistance is also something that can be added to your lenses, which helps make them harder to scratch as well as keep the lenses from getting as dirty as easily.
Photochromatic Lenses
Photochromatic lenses use a special chemical process that causes the lenses to become darker when exposed to UV light. This means you don’t have to wear sunglasses indoors or at night, but can switch back to clear lenses if they’re not needed.
Tinted Lenses
If tinted eyeglass lenses are preferred for fashion, you cannot go wrong with brownish gray color of Transitions Signature 7™. Although brown is a rare color, it looks natural and trendy at the same time.
Tinted lenses also come in other colors like red, orange, and blue.
