Think about your most recent optometrist appointment: did you leave with your prescription in hand? If so, did you see suggestions for a specific lens or lens coating? Chances are if your doctor is worth his weight in CR-39 plastic, he or she probably spoke to you about adding a coating on to your lens. You may have turned a deaf ear and shrugged it off thinking your doctor is just trying to sell you something. If you answered your doctor with “I’m not interested, thank you”, you could be missing out on some vision saving options. Here is a short list of the lens coatings and options available to you and what they could potentially do for your vision.
Anti-reflective coating is one of the most common lens coatings added to lenses today. Sometimes called AR coating or anti-glare, it’s a microscopically thin layered that eliminates reflections from the front and back of your lens. By adding this coating, people can focus on your eyes and not images reflecting into your lenses. Anti-glare coating is recommended for high-index and polycarbonate lenses specifically because they reflect more light than glasses or standard CR-39 plastic lenses. If you have aspheric lenses, you should absolutely have an AR coating added to your lenses because the lens has flatter curves and often reflects more than standard lenses. If you wear sunglasses, make sure the AR coating is applied to the back of the lens to avoid bounce-back reflections that often happen when you are walking away from the sun. Anti=glare coating also helps reduce glare while driving – especially at night.
Scratch-resistant coating, also called anti-scratch or AS coating, comes in handy with children and adults who are more accident-prone. Please understand that scratch-resistant coatings will not protect against all scratches but will help protect against minor scratches. When your glasses are protected with a hard layer of this coating, you are reducing the risk of major scratches and lengthening the life of your lenses. While this is a great coating to have on your lenses to prolong your visual acuity, it’s not 100% necessary. If you’re looking to save money, this is the coating you will most likely want to omit from your order.
Those people living in a cold climate will appreciate the hydrophobic coatings. There is nothing more frustrating than having your glasses fog up due to the climate. Additionally, it’s a hazard because fogged up glasses mean you can’t see! While a little harder to locate, hydrophobic coatings will help keep your glasses clear from rain, snow, and fog – giving you better, and safer, vision.
Lastly, ultra-violet protection is a must have on every pair of glasses or sunglasses you own. Also known as the UV protective coating, this coating will protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet light and ensure that you don’t develop sun-related vision issues. Whether you’re donning prescription glasses or sunglasses, you should always have the UV blocking coating on your lenses.
From anti-reflective coatings to ultraviolet blocking layers, it’s always best to know what your needs are before you buy glasses. If you are in need of glare-blasting help while driving at night, then an AR coating is best for your eye glasses. Even if you’re buying cheap glasses, it’s better to be an informed customer than to harm your vision.
Hillary Glaser is the Director of Marketing and Special Projects for eyeglassespro.com – the easiest way to buy glasses online. She over sees day-to-day operations for all marketing and promotions of eyeglasses for the company.