Glass, plastic, polycarbonate, high-index, etc. – how much do you know about the lenses you’re wearing right now? What are they made of and what advantages do those materials offer your vision? Let’s take a quick look at some of the basics.
While glass lenses deliver great optics, fewer eyeglass wearers are choosing it as a lens material, as it can break easily and is often thicker and heavier than other options. With the days of glass lenses mostly behind us, there’s a good chance many of you are wearing a lens made of something much more common. It’s a material so durable, that it was even used to make the canopy of a fighter jet’s cockpit. That’s right, we’re talking polycarbonate. Need a refresher?
Polycarbonate Lenses – The Basics:
- Impact and shatter-resistant
- Provides 100% protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays
- Lighter and thinner than conventional plastic lenses
- Perfect for kids (the durable material will protect their eyes while withstanding the high-energy activity children are often engaged in)
For those of you out there with stronger prescriptions, you may have had eyewear that gave you the infamous “coke bottle glasses” look. How were you able to ditch the appearance of such thick and heavy lenses? You might have received some help from another lens material that has been gaining in popularity over the years: High-index plastic lenses. Designed for the patient with a strong prescription, high-index lenses provide a more attractive look without sacrificing the vision correction by offering a higher “index” of refraction. Simply put, vision can be corrected with less lens material, which gives the wearer much thinner and flatter lenses.
- Thin and lightweight
- Enhanced cosmetic appeal for patients with strong prescriptions
- 100% UV protection
- Better scratch resistance than polycarbonate
- Good for rimless and semi-rimless eyewear
Looking for more on all things lenses? Check out the lenses and technology section on ‘The Center’ at VSP.com
