Both glasses frames and lenses nowadays are made out of all different materials
, and come in all shapes sizes and patterns. This is often to follow the latest fashions and trends. But tinted lenses have been with us a long time and we sometimes forget that the reason for invention was not to make a fashion statement or to make your glasses frames look more stylish or classy it was merely to enhance your eyesight.
Lets start with the three Ps - Polycarbonate, photo chromic and polarized lenses. As optical health assessments have become an everyday part of our lives, more and more people are wearing glasses and need them for all kinds of work and activities. Polycarbonate glasses are thinner, lighter and up to 10 times more impact-resistant than regular plastic lenses. They therefore stand as an excellent choice for careers where safety glasses are needed or as protective sports eyewear.
Photochromic lenses as the name would suggest have coatings which are affected by a change in the light. Instead of having to change to sunglasses without the prescription element you now have glasses that react to any intensity of sunlight. We have all heard of Polarized lenses and know they are going to be more expensive. But why? Polarised lenses in glasses frames reduce the glare from flat reflective surfaces which means there is less stress on the eyes and hence less fatigue.
A popular add-on for lenses is Anti-reflective coating. Known as AR in the trade this extra factor can add style and lift an everyday pair of glasses. But as well as improving the overall look of the glasses frames the coating works to reduce distracting lens reflections. The coating can dramatically improve the look and comfort of your glasses by reducing distracting lens reflections that interfere with normal eye contact. But again the central benefit of this lens is to reduce glare as more light is allowed into your eyes for better night vision.
Scratch resistant lenses protect your eyes and face from a purely point of view whereas UV blocking lens treatments prevent too much ultra violet light getting to the eyes.
Ashpheric Lenses are a relatively new invention. Unlike traditional glasses the lens surface is not perfectly rounded. This in turn corrects small distortions which we tend to accept with our everyday glasses. Technological progress has been made by using High-index materials to help with eyesight problems. This special plastic refracts light to achieve focus. At the same time, as with almost all lenses now, the glass is thinner and lighter making it more comfortable to wear and attractive to the eye.