Prescription Lenses A to Z

The lenses you choose are primarily determined by the vision-correcting properties you are seeking. Depending on your visual needs, you may need either single-vision or multifocal lenses, various coatings or a specific index lens.

Single-vision

These lenses correct one field of vision, near or distance.

If you have distance-corrective glasses, your prescription will begin with a (-), and your lens will be concave, or curve inward, to correct your vision properly.

Reading lenses are designed to help you see things at a close distance. These lenses are convex, or curve outward, and are appropriate for people with prescriptions beginning with a (+).

If you have difficulty seeing at both close and long ranges, you may need bifocals or multifocals. These glasses correct your vision at multiple distances, allowing you to see clearly, both up close and from a distance. These are excellent choices for people who use both distance and reading glasses, so they do not need to carry around two pairs of glasses wherever they go.

Multifocal

Bifocal lenses are the most common type of multifocal lens. These lenses correct both

near- and long-distance vision by combining two prescriptions into a single lens. The upper

part of the lens is designed to correct distance deficiencies, while the bottom portion is a

near-distance lens meant to correct up-close vision.

Progressive lenses are designed to seamlessly incorporate distance, middle- and

near- vision correction. Because these lenses are highly personalized, they can

correct even the most unique eyes, and provide all the benefits of bifocal lenses

without the obvious horizontal line. If you have particularly unique eyes, or need

bifocals but do not want the obvious line in your lens, consider progressive lenses.

Lens Coating

Coating can give your lenses different attributes, making them behave differently according to their environment. Some change colors based upon the lighting, while others offer protection from scratches or the sun.

Anti-Scratch Coating defends your lenses against scratches and abrasions from everyday wear and tear, and helps reinforce them against drops.

Anti-Reflective Coating or AR, is another beneficial coating for any pair of eyeglasses. This coating gets rid of annoying glare, halos around lights and reflections on your lenses caused by computers and lights. They also make your lenses nearly invisible by removing reflections. AR is especially important for people with high-index lenses, as these lenses have higher refractive indexes. This increased refractive index means these lenses will tend to reflect up to 50 percent more light than traditional lenses, causing more glare unless they are equipped with AR coating.

Photosolar or Light-Adjusting Coating will change the tint of your lenses depending on the amount of light they are exposed to, becoming dark outdoors and clearer indoors. This helps protect the eyes from harmful UV rays and direct sunlight, protecting the wearer’s vision. Light- adjusting glasses offer the same amount of protection as sunglasses, without requiring you to purchase and carry around an extra set of eyewear.

Water-repellent Coating - All eyeglass wearers dread getting rain or water on their eyeglasses. Droplets can leave behind smudges or dirt on your lenses and cleaning them properly can be a hassle, especially during the rainy season.Water-repellent coatings keep water droplets, dirt, and smudges off your lenses, which helps to maintain their cleanliness and reduces the need for you to clean them regularly. Lenses with this premium coating stay crystal-clear up to twice as long as your normal eyeglasses!

UV Protective Coating - Exposure to the sun’s harmful UV radiation is associated with numerous age-related eye problems, such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Because of this, doctors encourage people to protect their eyes from UV radiation. This is why UV protective coating is so important for everyone. By deflecting harmful UV rays from the sun before they can damage your eyes, this invisible UV protective coating works like sunscreen for your eyes.

Blue Light Blocking Coating - The biggest source of potential harm from digital screens is blue light. This part of the visual spectrum is a short- wavelength light, which can be found in just about everything from sunshine to computer screens. Unlike blue- turquoise light, which is healthy and beneficial for us, blue-violet light, such as the high-energy visible (HEV) light from backlit screens and artificial lighting, can be damaging to our eyes after excessive exposure.

Up to 75 percent of computer users experience discomfort after using their screens for a long period of time, and considering what looking at screens does to our eyes, it’s not surprising. Extended use of digital devices makes our eyes work harder, requiring them to constantly maintain focus. This can contribute to eye dryness and fatigue, an inability to maintain focus, headaches, and long-term wear on your vision.

Color Tint Coating - Want to see the world through rose-colored glasses? Many people choose to add a hint of color to their lenses to help them see better, or to add a certain look to their eyewear. We offer four colors and four intensities for you to choose from, giving you plenty of customization options. Our color tints cannot be added to polarized or photochromic lenses.

These lenses are ideal for people looking to add some more color to their world, as well as their overall look.

Gradient Tint Coating - These lenses have a dark tint at the top of the lens and then progressively lighten toward the bottom. The resulting lens gives the wearer plenty of sun protection, as well as privacy, but offers you varying degrees of light. Gradient tints are only applicable to lenses for frames above 36mm in height.

Polarized Coating reduces the annoying, and sometimes dangerous, reflections on your lenses created by water, roads and other surfaces. These reflections can be distracting or obtrusive, posing a danger to you and your well-being if you are traveling.

Mirrored Tint Coating - If you want to add a little bit of mystique to your look, or simply wish to hide your eyes from onlookers, you may want to look into a mirrored coating on your lenses. Mirrored lenses are functional and fashionable sunglasses with a little extra flash. This reflective coating comes in gold, silver, and blue.

Lens Index

The index of your lens, also referred to as the index of refraction or refractive index, is a number that indicates how efficiently the material bends, or refracts, light. The higher the refractive index of the lens, the more slowly light moves through it, and the more the light bends. For you, this means a thinner high-index lens will perform the same as a thick set of standard low-index lenses. Additionally, higher indexes are able to handle higher prescriptions.

1.5 Index — Standard Lens

If you are looking for an economical option for your lenses and have a weaker prescription, these lenses may be the right choice for you. This index is most suitable for prescriptions with an SPH correction of +/-2.25 and below, or a CYL correction of +/-1.50 and below.

1.57 Index — Thin and Light Lens

For people with somewhat stronger prescriptions, these lenses may be a better choice than the standard lenses. These lenses are thinner and stronger than their 1.5-index counterparts, handling SPH corrections between +/-5.00 and +/-4.00, and CYL corrections of +/-3.00 and below.

1.59 Index — Polycarbonate Lens

Polycarbonate lenses are the most durable and impact-resistant lenses, and generally come with a 100% UV- protective coating. If you are looking for glasses for children, or tend to spend your time outdoors, we strongly recommend these lenses.

1.6 Index — Super-Thin Lens

These stylish, super-thin lenses are an excellent choice for people with strong prescriptions or particularly thin frames. These lenses are suited to people with SPH corrections between +/-4.25 and +/-6.75, and CYL corrections between +/-2.25 and +/-3.00.

1.67 Index — Ultra-Thin Lens

These lightweight, thin lenses ensure your eyes do not look distorted from a higher prescription. If you have a particularly strong prescription, this is likely the best choice for you. We typically recommend these lenses for people with SPH corrections between +/-7.00 and +/-9.00, and CYL corrections between +/-3.25 and +/-4.00.

1.74 Index — As Thin as Possible Lens

Our thinnest lenses are designed for the highest-powered prescriptions. These lenses are best for prescriptions with SPH corrections of +/-9.25 and above, and CYL corrections between +/-4.25 and +/-6.00.

Your vision is critically important to your everyday life, which is why you need a pair of eyeglasses with lenses that optimize your vision. With the help of these guidelines, you can make an educated decision on the type of lenses that will best suit you and your lifestyle. Still not sure what lens you need? Do you want to see what options are available to you?