Category: Lenses and Frames

Eyeglass lens options have grown incredibly in the last several decades. Whereas early eyeglass lenses were made from glass, advancements in lens materials have made them safer, thinner, lighter, and featuring benefits that early inventors never could have imagined!

Glass lenses revolutionized so many aspects of life for people of that time. Glass can provide crisp, clear views, but it is heavy and breakable. It was not uncommon for lenses to break on impact, which could cause someone to lose sight or lose the eye entirely. For that reason, glass is rarely used for eyeglasses today.

In the 1940s, plastic lenses were introduced. Armorlite Lens Company created a lightweight plastic lens made of plastic polymer. It was light, weighing about half as much as a glass lens, and was inexpensive. These plastic lenses were a hit, and are still a common option for eyeglasses today.

Polycarbonate lenses were introduced in the 1970s. Polycarbonate is a highly durable polymer that is impact-resistant, but can scratch. For this reason, the lenses are recommended for children and used in most eyeglasses, but have the addition of a hard coating to deliver greater scratch resistance.

High-index lenses are another lens option that many people aren’t aware of when they begin shopping for eyeglasses. High-index plastic materials make lenses thinner and lighter for people who have a strong prescription. Instead of thick lenses that used to give people fewer options for lenses and make their eyes look distorted from the front, high-index lenses can pack a stronger prescription into a thinner space. This opens more frame options and takes the weight off of your glasses if you have a high prescription!

In addition to lens materials, there are a number of other features that you can add to your lenses for various functionality. For instance, anti-reflective or non-glare treatments are one of the most common upgrades. Often they give added scratch-resistance as well as cutting glares and giving a clearer view of your eyes from the front. Tints are another option you can add to your lenses. For sunglasses, wearers might choose around an 85% tint, but lighter options exist, too. Many lenses can be tinted gray, brown, or yellow. Fashion tints come in rose, blue, green, or even more possibilities. Polarization is a great addition for sunglass lenses, too, because it filters the bright glares that can be uncomfortable, even with sunglass tints.

If you have any questions about the best lenses for your eyes, speak with an optician. They are trained in eyecare products and can assist you with these choices, as well as helping you pick frames that look great on you!

Multifocal lenses have made everyday life much easier for people over forty. Bifocals were invented sometime in the 1700s, but trifocals and eventually progressive lenses were later created to give wearers even more functionality. The options are great, but making the choice can be difficult!

If you need multifocal lenses to provide you more than one power, progressive lenses may be a perfect fit. They have many benefits and can work in almost any setting.

Here are some things to consider for your progressive lenses.

How Progressive Lenses Work
Progressive lenses are called “progressive” because they gradually change from one magnification to a stronger one at the bottom of the lens. They progress from a distance vision prescription to an intermediate and then a near-field one. This means that the wearer can look up to the horizon in the upper portion of the lens and see distances clearly, use the middle of the lens to look around their intermediate space, and view reading materials and close up objects through the bottom of the lens. This use of progressive lenses becomes second nature after some adjustment.

Are Progressive Lenses Better than Bifocals?
Many people prefer progressive lenses over bifocals for two reasons. First, bifocals only have two prescription powers. They usually address a farther distance and a close-up reading view. Either an intermediate distance or a certain distance will not be completely clear. Second, some people are distracted by the “image jump” that they see when looking through bifocals. This is caused by the abrupt line where the inset meets the rest of the lens. Some people love bifocals and see no added benefits from progressive lenses, but most people like the versatility of progressive lenses.

Additional Benefits of Modern Progressive Lenses
Multifocal lenses that are not progressive sometimes don’t fit well within a certain frame size. Because lenses have to be cut to fit the frame, the reading portion can end up too big or too small compared to the lens size. Short corridor progressive lenses address this by scaling the reading zones into a more compact area. This means wearers still have their pick of frames and eyeglass shapes.

In addition, specialty progressive eyewear exists to meet certain needs. Computer eyewear can be a great option for people who work at a desktop setting. These lenses do not need the addition of a distance vision section. This means that they allow more room for a close distance focus, and then the rest of the lens is created for the intermediate field. With a computer screen sitting at arm’s length, reading materials up close, and walls at an intermediate distance, these lenses help maximize the eyewear for indoor occupational settings.

Nobody will notice! Some people believe there is a stigma with bifocals because they perceive them as glasses only for senior citizens. Many people even put off getting multifocal lenses because they don’t want to admit that they need them. Progressive lenses help this issue for some people because there is not a visible line like with bifocals. It is unusual for someone to notice that the wearer has progressive lenses unlike the ability to see bifocal lines.

If you have any questions about how progressive lenses can help your eyes see as clearly and comfortably as possible, speak with an optician. There are many options and we can help you narrow down the possibilities so you can make an informed decision.

Squinting into the sun and focusing in bright light is very hard on your eyes. Eye care professionals stress the importance of sunglasses and shading your eyes to protect your vision, but many people aren’t aware of the benefits that come from polarized sunglasses. They’re not just for fishermen to see into the water!

When you’re not on the dock or deck of your boat, you will continue to see the benefits of polarization. Polarized lenses can help cut glares off of surfaces like the road in front of you or the hood of your vehicle. Even bright light outdoors or through windows can be mellowed with polarized lenses.

The reason that polarized lenses work is that they cut out certain waves of light. Normal light tends to go in all directions, but light that bounces off of a surface tends to “polarize” and align itself horizontally. So sunlight beating down on the water doesn’t appear as ambient light once it bounces off the water, because it hits that reflective surface and bounces up, glaring into your eyes. Polarized lenses are specially made with a vertical polarization so that they cut out that intense reflected light and let you see more of the natural light you’d see if there was no glare. Pretty cool, right? You can even experiment with glasses to see if they’re polarized by holding them out and rotating the lens to see if the glare lessens or not.

Some people may notice instances where polarized lenses are not helpful, however. Cell phone screens, LCD and GPS displays can be more difficult to read. In some cases, much brighter light is something you need to see, like in downhill skiing. A bright patch alerts the skier to ice, and polarization would make it harder to see. But most everyday skiers and snowboarders would like to ease the bright light reflecting off of the snow if they’re not in icy conditions. Other than a few rare occasions, polarized lenses can do a lot to improve your vision for many applications. Ask your eye care professional for help deciding if polarization is right for your eyewear.

Picking eyewear for your child can be stressful. There are many options for lenses and additional features to make lenses better suited for the wearer’s needs. Children often want to be involved in the decision, but it’s ultimately up to the parent to be sure that their child has the eyewear they need. Well, we’re here to help make the process simpler, and to give information for every step of the way.

There are a few main things that you need to think about. After all, your child’s eyewear needs to be safe, durable, effective, and your child needs to actually wear them! Here are the main things you need to consider in making this decision.

Lens Material
Eyeglass lenses used to be made from glass, but modern lenses come in various materials that are safer and last longer. Children’s eyewear needs polycarbonate or Trivex lenses because these are more impact-resistant. These options also make the lenses thinner and lighter, even for strong prescriptions. They have built-in UV protection, too!

Coatings or Treatments
Anti-reflective treatments or non-glare coatings provide many additional benefits that you can consider when getting eyewear for your child. Non-glare materials on the front and back of lenses may help resist scratches, dirt, debris, water, and fingerprints. These coatings also usually protect against UV rays. Most notably, AR treatments guard against glare. Glares are distracting when looking at someone’s eyes, but the brightness on your lens can also wash out what you’re seeing and cause eyestrain. We suggest anti-reflective options for all glasses wearers.

Size and Fit
Of course, a child’s head is smaller than an adult’s so they need a different sized frame. You don’t want frames that are too big and will look over-sized on their face, but you also don’t want wants that are too big because they’ll be too heavy and slide down the nose. Children’s frames come in many shapes and sizes to be sure you get a personalized fit for your child. Additional sizing can be done with certain adjustments. Many plastic frames don’t allow for a custom bridge fit, but metal frames have nose pads and a bridge that may be adjustable to be sure they won’t slide off your child’s face.

Style
Picking the frames is the most fun part! There isn’t a stigma with glasses now like there used to be. Celebrities and eyewear brands have made glasses cool. Even kids who don’t need glasses often want a pair as an accessory. This means that parents have an easier time helping their child settle on a nice pair of frames. Think about things like the color—do you want them to stick to a certain color that will look good with their eyes, hair, or wardrobe? Does a certain shape fit their face better than others? Do they like metal frame styles or trendy plastic ones? Set aside enough time to look at several options, then give them the decision between the final two. Kids can have a hard time choosing if you don’t narrow down the best options with them.

Backup Pair
We strongly suggest getting a backup pair for all children’s glasses. It is so common that children get caught up in activities, visit somewhere engaging, or simply forget and end up losing, leaving, or breaking their eyewear. Accidents happen, but it doesn’t have to be an emergency if you have a backup pair. Often we can do special pricing to make the second pair a great deal, too. You don’t want your child to go without glasses until you get a new pair (or find the ones that went missing).

If you need any help from an optician, don’t be afraid to ask questions. The optician can help inform you on features, prices, maintenance, and more.

Picking eyeglasses can be a difficult process of trial and error, especially if you haven’t done it many times before. The problem is that, unlike shopping for clothing where you may have a good idea of what fits you and what your favorite colors and patterns are, people can sometimes be vague on what they want for glasses (or have no idea at all). Few people know the most important factors for getting the right glasses for you: the shape of your face and which glasses will accent that shape, color and design options available to fit your preference, and features that will work best with your lifestyle.

Instead of standing in front of racks of frames and trying them on for what could be hours, consider these things first. Ask an observant friend or your eye care professional if you need help.

Which glasses will look best on you is most reliant on the shape of your face. Take a head-on look in the mirror and notice the shape of your face. Is your face taller and more arrow, or shorter and rounded? Is your face more like a diamond, or maybe a triangle shape? Is the bone structure angular, or do you have soft curves? Once you narrow that down, it’s easier to start shopping. Sometimes it helps to do an internet search and see examples of different face shapes and see which one most closely resembles you.

If your face is small, large frames will make your face look even smaller, and your features will get lost behind your glasses. If you have a larger face, small glasses will look out of proportion and make your eyes appear small. Rounded glasses soften an angular face, but a soft face can look balanced and cool with an edgy pair of angular glasses. It may take a few tries to hit on what style of glasses look good on you, but usually there are several models that will look sharp. You can narrow down your selection further once you decide on the general style that you prefer.

You can also look at trends for frame styles based on age. There’s no reason that a young person can’t wear rimless glasses, or a senior can’t wear something bright, but we tend to see trends that vary by age group. Younger people are choosing old-fashioned styles that have become popular again. Vintage styles like horn-rimmed, Wayfarer, and Clubmaster glasses have become cool unisex styles for younger people who want a classic look. Older women are making fun, youthful looks with black frames and unique, funky shapes that are creative, but still convey their professional status. Older men in particular might like frameless and very thin frames that have a mature and barely-there look.

Next, think about your personality and fashion sense. Are you the kind of person who would enjoy something bold, or do you tend to shy away from being the center of attention? Don’t be afraid to be creative with your selection if it suits you. Many frames come in patterns like plaid or animal print, or offer clear or other modern materials that will make your glasses pop.

What color will look best with your skin tone, hair, eyes, and apparel? Do you have a varied color palette for clothing, or are most of your clothes in similar colors? If you don’t plan on buying a new wardrobe, it’s a good idea to factor in your apparel as well as the overall tone of your skin and hair. Do you wear blue jeans and lots of cool greens, grays, and purples, or are you a more summery, bright yellow and orange palette? For skin tone, warmer colors would be a pink or yellow skin, whereas olive skin falls on the cooler side. Someone with rich brown hair, a more yellow skin tone, and coppery brown eyes might look strange in cool blue frames, for instance.

How dark or fair your skin is will also have an effect on your choice. Darker skin looks good with light colored glasses for a nice contrast, but fair skin looks better with a neutral tone that won’t make them look washed out. People with a medium skin tone can get a slick look with solid, bright colors.

Finally, make sure that you pick glasses that work for your lifestyle. If you’re big on adventure or you have young children who might be after your eyewear, ask about frames that are more durable and able to bend without breaking. Do you usually have to look professional, or can you be casual on a daily basis? If you’re getting one pair of glasses and not multiple pairs, you’ll need to be sure that your final pick can fit your needs and normal daily setting.

If you’re getting ready for your visit and will be picking glasses, wear an outfit that you usually wear, and do your hair and makeup in a way that’s typical for you. Ask your eye care professional for help if you want a second opinion, or get their assistance to narrow down some options. Let a professional help you create a new face!

Lenses that darken automatically when exposed to various levels of light are called photochromic or light-adaptive lenses. This technology was discovered in the 1960s, but it didn’t really catch on until the 1990s. The convenience of photochromic lenses is huge: they’re basically like getting two complete pairs of glasses—regular glasses and sunglasses—in one!

How the technology works is pretty cool. In glass photochromic lenses, silver compounds are embedded into the lens material. When exposed to varying levels of sunlight, the compounds go through a chemical change that increases their size, allowing them to block out more light. Once the bright sunlight subsides, the molecules return to their normal size. Plastic light-adaptive lenses use similar photochromic molecules to create the darkening effect. The reaction that causes the material to darken as it absorbs varying levels of light is completely reversible which is why the lenses go back to clear or only slightly tinted when the wearer is out of bright sunlight.

The only issue you may encounter with light-adaptive lenses is that the photochromic reaction depends to some extent on temperature. In very hot weather, they may not darken all the way. When you first step into the sunlight, the darkening effect happens in about a minute. Over the next several minutes, they may darken just a little more, until achieving their final darkness after about 15 minutes (which depends on the brand and material of lenses). The first reaction will be drastic and give you more than enough light protection to continue into the sun with your vision protected.

If the final darkness of regular light-adaptive lenses isn’t dark enough for what you need, photochromic sunglasses can help. Their darkness when not in the sunlight is still darker than normal glasses. For that reason, most people don’t use these as their only pair of glasses because they won’t see as well indoors. They are a great option for people like drivers, for example, who spend a large part of their time shielding their eyes from sunlight and can wear their backup glasses in low-light settings. The other reason they’re good for drivers is that most windshields block out the UV light that causes the darkening reaction. With a UV-blocking windshield, bright light coming through your windshield will not cause your lenses to darken, leaving you squinting and straining.

There are some other interesting uses of photochromic technology. One medical application involves tinting for certain shades of red. These lenses can be used for various eye conditions including macular degeneration. Of course, there are further recreational uses of adapting tints, too. Red and green shades are used to make a fashion statement, but yellow and amber tints can be used in hunting and sporting glasses to help increase contrast, especially when it is cloudy. Tints can be applied and used in adaptive lenses in just about any color. Want to see the world through rose-colored glasses? It’s possible!

Talk to your eye care professional to test a pair of light-adaptive lenses and see how they’ll help make your everyday life a little easier.

Non-glare lenses are a common and cost-effective feature that many eyeglass wearers elect to have put on their lenses. It’s one of those things that you usually don’t notice or think about when you have it, but you notice when it’s not there!

Non-glare lenses are simply lenses that have this anti-reflective coating applied to the lens. Anti-reflective coating works by eliminating the reflections of light from the front and back the lens. Typical anti-reflective coating allows 99.5 percent of light to pass through, meaning that there is only a very faint hint of light on the lens even in the brightest conditions. The anti-glare protection allows more light to come through, and results in better vision for you as well as a better view for others. When people look at you, they won’t see a glare off of the lenses of your glasses. Glares off of your glasses can ruin pictures and be distracting to people speaking with you because the glare obscures the view of your eyes.

Beyond the cosmetic reasons, the largest benefits of anti-reflective coating are sharper vision when driving at night, and more comfort when using a computer for long periods of time. You won’t experience a glare from the computer screen, and the sharper vision will mean easier focusing for your eyes.

It’s also a good idea get the anti-reflective coating applied to the back surface of your sunglasses. This helps eliminate glare from sunlight when the sun is behind you. Most AR coatings now also include a layer that prevents water spots, thus making them much easier to clean. There are even coatings that help resist skin oils while also making smudges easier to wipe off.

Glasses that have anti-reflective coating should be given special care, as some lens cleaners contain chemicals that could damage the anti-reflective coating. With any eyewear, make sure you know how to care for your gear to give it a long and useful life. Ask your eye care professional if you have questions about care for your eye wear, or would like to know more about anti-glare options.