Are you in need of new lenses for your glasses? Most optometrists will recommend that you get new lenses every 1 to 3 years if needed. However, if you are experiencing vision changes, headaches, or other side effects from the old prescription, you may need to get new lenses sooner. If you are ready to get the best lenses for your glasses, there are some things that you should look into.
What Kind is Your Prescription?
If you are looking for the different lenses that you may need, you may want to know about the best prescription lens types. You may need bifocals, progressive, or single-vision lenses.
Single Vision Lenses
The most commonly prescribed lenses are single vision lenses. They are prescribed for vision correction for either distance or reading. Single vision lenses have only one vision field throughout the lens. They improve your vision whether you are nearsighted or farsighted. You could also use these lenses to help you read better, as well.
Bifocal Lenses
There are 2 viewing areas in bifocal lenses which is distinguished with a visible line on the lenses. The bigger viewing area is for seeing better when reading. Even though this is a bigger viewing area, it is the smaller part of the lenses. If you are new to wearing bifocal lenses it might take time for you to get used to wearing them. This is because you need to learn how to become accustomed to moving your eyes from the area of the glasses that is for distances to the area that is for reading and vice versa. In order to get used to your bifocal lenses, you should wear them often. In time, your eyes will learn to adjust to the different viewing areas.
Progressive Lenses
You may also need progressive lenses. These have no line on them. However, they are still considered multi-focals. The progression is seamless. You will still get improved sight for both near vision and intermediate vision. These lenses work by moving your eyes from one area on the lens to another area. WIth progressive lenses, you should be able to see things better at almost any distance.
Non-Prescription Lenses
You might have picked a pair of glasses because you like the way they look but don’t really need any vision correction. It is important to know that most frames come with non-prescription demo lenses that are not optical quality. These can harm your eyes. Switch those out for optical quality no-power lenses.
Best Options for Lens Material
When looking for the best lenses for your glasses, the material does make a difference. Some of the best lens materials include high index 1.67, high index 1.74, plastic CR 39, and
polycarbonate. Your choice in lens material will depend on the strength of your prescription.
Plastic CR 39
One of the basic lenses is the plastic CR 39 lenses. These are made with plastic polymer. The refraction index for these lenses is 1.498, which means they cannot be used for correcting high powers. Plastic CR-39 lenses have very low impact resistance and they can be easily scratched. They cannot be used for semi-rimless and rimless frames.
Polycarbonate
Do you want lighter, thinner, and stronger lenses? If so, the polycarbonate lenses would be your ideal choice. The polycarbonate lenses are impact-resistant, shatter-proof, and offer complete protection from UV rays. They are great for both kids and adults. They are also ideal for most regular-ranged prescriptions and are widely used. They can be fit into rimless frames.
High Index 1.67
When compared to the polycarbonate lenses, the high index 1.67 lenses are 20% thinner, and 30% thinner than plastic lenses. If you have a high prescription, the high index 1.67 lenses are recommended. These will have less weight and reduced thickness around the edges.
High Index 1.74
If you want the flattest, thinnest, and most attractive lenses, you will want to go with the high index 1.74 lenses. These are extremely thin. When compared to plastic, the high index 1.74 lenses are 50% thinner. When compared to high index 1.67 lenses, these lenses are 5% thinner. The 1.74 high index lenses are most ideal for very high prescriptions
Choosing the Lens Options
Depending on your lifestyle, you can look for the perfect lens options.
Anti-Reflective Coatings
These are also known as no-glare, anti-glare, and glare-free coating. They can improve your vision by reducing glare and reflections from the back and front of your lenses. Anti-glare coatings are recommended by most doctors as they provide better vision, provide 100% UV protection and also look better aesthetically.
Blue Blocker
Do you need to have lenses for your glasses that will stop a lot of UV light from coming through? If so, the blue blocker lenses may be right for you. They are designed to block and even absorb some of the blue light from screens and other sources. If you look at any screen that has blue light, the glasses will help to lessen the effects of the light.
Lens Color Options
Once you have chosen the lens material and lens options, you can choose the color of your lenses. For regular use, clear lenses are mostly commonly ordered. Eyeglass lenses are available in various colors too.
Tinted lenses
Clear lenses can be tinted to different levels to make them darker according to your preference. You can also get your lenses tinted in various colors and gradients from yellow to the more traditional gray. However, tinted lenses do not protect you from the harmful effects of UV light. It only makes the lenses darker. They also fade over time. If not done right, tinted lenses can come out looking different than expected.
Polarized lenses
Polarized lenses offer 100% UV protection as well as protect your eyes against the glare from reflective surfaces. If you spend a lot of time outdoors or are often exposed to bright sunlight, it is best to opt for Polarized lenses. Polarized lenses are available in gray, brown, and G-15 green colors.
Transitions or Photochromic lenses
Another option available to you are transitions or photochromic lenses. They are perfectly clear indoors, but as soon as you go outdoors and it is sunny outside, the lenses will darken. They transition within seconds making it very comfortable to wear. Photochromic lenses provide 100% UV protection. Transition lenses are usually available in gray, brown and graphite green colors. The latest Transition Generation 8 lenses by Transitions in available in 4 more colors – Sapphire, Amethyst, Jade, and Amber. Photochromic lenses can save you the trouble (and cost) of having to buy prescription sunglasses.
Drivewear lenses
When you are driving, do you have a difficult time seeing in bright sunlight, when there are glares, or even in overcast conditions? If so, you need to get drivewear lenses. Drivewear lenses are photochromic in nature except that they already have a light tint, and darken behind the wheel in high sunlight. Other times, the tint can offer better clarity on the road. These lenses are able to help your eyes to sense and react better to these different conditions.
Best Available Brands of Lenses
When you are looking into getting the best lenses for your glasses one of the things that you want to pay attention to is the brand. There are many different brands of lenses that you can get. If you want to get the best brand, those would include Essilor, Shamir, Varilux.
Essilor
Essilor makes many high-quality progressive lens options. If you are looking for a lens that is going to help improve your vision when wearing them and be comfortable, Essilor is a great choice. Essilor makes lenses for people of all ages.
Shamir Computer
Another brand available to you is Shamir Computer. These lenses are high-quality, can be customized to the patient’s needs, and are beneficial for those who have to work on the computer often. If you need lenses that are going to help you concentrate when working on the computer and keep things in focus, the Shamir Computer brand is the way to go.
Varilux
Varilux is one of the most widely used for progressive lenses. These lenses offer excellent vision stability. They have been sold for decades and they help to improve overall vision. You could get Varilux Comfort or Varilux Physio lenses. The Varilux Comfort lenses improve peripheral, distance, intermediate, and near vision. These lenses are able to do that without causing issues with any of the zones. The Varilux Physio lenses help to sharpen images in lower-light situations.
The information above should help you to determine how to get the best lenses for your glasses. If you have any questions, you could always reach out to our licensed optician on +1 (929) 525-5272 (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST) or chat with us (9:00 AM to 9:00 PM EST).