There’s a lot to think about when it comes to your eyeglass’s lenses. You may be surprised when you begin learning about the many types of lenses and coatings available and the myriad benefits they offer for your needs, lifestyle and prescription.

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The most important thing to keep in mind while selecting your lenses is that you should always seek the help of an eyeglass lens professionals—like us! Optometrists have unrivaled knowledge and experience, making them the very best option to help you through your vision transition.

Eyeglass Lens Materials

You probably think of eyeglass lenses as little pieces of glass; while this was true in the past, glass lenses are rarely used in modern optometry. While glass lenses offer excellent optics, they’re fragile, heavy and easy to scratch. Today’s eyeglass lenses are typically made from one of several different lightweight plastic materials and can provide many innovative features. Common lens selections include:

  • Aspheric lenses
  • High-index lenses
  • Trivex and Tribrid lenses
  • Photochromatic lenses
  • Polarized lenses
  • Polycarbonate lenses
  • Crown glass lenses
  • CR-39 (allyl diglycol carbonate) lenses

Eyeglass Lens Features

Not all eyeglass lenses are created equal. Different lens styles offer you various features and functions. Multifocal and progressive lenses are one of the most popular examples of eyeglass lenses with built-in features. Bifocal and trifocal lenses are an excellent choice if you need help seeing things both up close and far away due to presbyopia—an age-related vision problem.

  • Bifocal lenses combine two different prescriptions, one for nearsightedness and one for presbyopia (close-up vision loss due to age), into one lens.
  • Trifocal lenses add a third prescription level into the lens for items at an arms length, such as computer screens.
  • Progressive lenses contain many levels of prescriptions to help patients transition smoothly between objects nearby and those at a distance.

Each of these types of lenses offers benefits and limitations, and we can help you determine which options will work best for your needs.

In addition to multifocal capabilities, lens features can also give you and your glasses added protection from harm. You can often add coatings to your glasses’ lenses to boost their benefits, including scratch resistance, UV protection and anti-reflective lens treatments. Transitions lenses are another coating option that allows your glasses to instantly transform into sunglasses when hit with bright light.