Aug

4

Choosing lens materials

Filed Under Eyewear Knowledge, Inside SmartBuyGlasses 



materials

            In today’s market there are countless decisions to make when purchasing a pair of eyeglasses or sunglasses. What type of frame, what colors, what features, and finally, what lens additions, materials, coatings, tints or varnishing. There are options galore, some merely cosmetic, others health conscious and other still sensitive to lifestyle and habit. Before heading to the online store to pick out your frames, consider some of the options, bearing in mind that you’ll be using the glasses daily and will not want to skimp on the one accessory everyone is bound to notice.

            Antireflective coatings reduce glare and, when your picture is taken, reduce the reflection of light thus ensuring your eyes show through the glass in the image. Studies show that you can see up to 75% more with coated lenses, which obviously is a safety benefit for drivers or serious sports fanatics. Additionally, your glasses will not be blamed for making your golf partner miss his swing, as not light will reflect off your glasses to blind poor onlookers. I find this coating invaluable, and have it applied to every pair of my sunglasses and corrective lenses.

materialsPlastics and polycarbonate lenses have the ability to block ultraviolet rays, and increase protection 100% from normal glass lenses, which do nothing in the way of protect as much as correct your vision. Additionally, plastics are stronger and more durable, though are more likely to scratch and smudge (though, naturally, there are remedies for these ailments).

Anti-scratch coatings can be applied to all plastic and synthetic materials other than glass. Glass is naturally more scratch resistant. If you chose plastic lenses, make sure they are varnished in scratch resistant and smudge reducing coatings to ensure longevity. Treatments can be applied to natural glass lenses to make them shock resistant, and thus more durable. Ultimately, the glass versus plastic decision is one of personal taste.

Tinted glasses can be useful if you have highly sensitive eyes, which many fair-eyes people complain of. Tints of various shades can assist in various tasks; see my previous article on tinting for more details. When choosing lenses, be aware that tints cannot easily be added after your glasses are purchased. You will need to consider the tint you would like beforehand. A more recent development in the lens industry is changing tint glasses, where lenses are clear or beige when indoors, and turn into sunglasses when confronted with light. Though a bit more expensive, these are especially useful for highly active people who spend a great deal of time moving between the indoors and out. While some complain that the dark tinting when confronted with light can be annoying when driving in twilight, most find the adapting lenses useful, though a bit out of their control.

            A few additional tips. Properly fitted frames should be comfortable, above all. When wearing glasses to correct vision, the most common concern is that glasses will get in the way or hinder your mobility. Though style and design are important, consider that uncomfortable glasses will not be appreciated or enjoyed.

            Glasses and sunglasses should not touch your temples, cheeks or eyebrows, but should be held in place by your nose and ears, distributing the weight evenly. They should not shift or slide when you change your facial expressions. When trying on glasses, smile, wink, yawn, laugh and scowl—making sure there is no movement in the frames and no pinching of the nose. Should you fall in love with an uncomfortable pair of frames, you can have them resized or fitted professionally, and have the nose and earpieces realigned.

Comments

blog comments powered by Disqus