Your lens choice will depend on your prescription, your lifestyle and your budget. There are many lens materials, designs, coatings and coatings such as to improve scratch protection, anti reflection and ultra violet protection.

Glass has been the accepted material for many years. However, the advent of scratch resistant plastic has proved to be the preferred material for most prescriptions. It is not only about half the weight of glass but also impact resistant. Both plastic and glass lenses are made in different densities; these can make your lenses thinner which is particularly advantageous for those with higher prescriptions.

All basic lenses reflect light by varying amounts. Anti-reflection lenses are surface coated and cut out almost all reflection. This tends to make the wearers eyes look more attractive and enhances vision, especially when driving.
Most lenses can be made in a tinted form for bright sunlight or glare. These can be a uniform tint or graduated to become darker at the top. Photochromic lenses are also available in glass or plastic; these darken in sunlight and lighten again when indoors.

Glass lenses can be toughened to make them impact resistant. Other choices for sports people, industrial workers and home handyman are polycarbonate and plastic lenses, which are most impact resistant without tempering and the lens choice for active people.

At work or at home you may need to view from distance to near. Bifocal or multi-focal options might be suitable for you. Bi-focal offers a dual function. The top part gives clear distance vision and the bottom part clear reading vision. The bifocal lens does not offer any assistance with intermediate working distances and cause some image “jump” when moving from the distance to near zone because of the abrupt change of prescription dividing line. Bifocals do have the advantage of a reasonably wide and distortion free reading zone.

Progressive lenses overcome some of the disadvantages of traditional multi-focals. There are no dividing lines on a progressive lens, but clever engineering creates an increasing “power gradient” down the lens. The top portion of the lens is distance prescription, the progression zone beginning just below the straight-ahead line of sight. The progression zone gives a flexible range of focus through intermediate distances to the full reading prescription in the lower part of the lens.

Progressive lenses are available in a number of differing designs in glass, plastic and polycarbonate materials and in various tints, photochromic and surface coatings.
Modern technology has created lenses that bend light differently so that stronger corrections are thinner and lighter than when made with conventional materials. Such lenses are called “high index” and stronger corrections are more attractive because they are slimmer. High index lenses absorb all harmful ultra violet light and can be tinted to any shade or colour.

Polarised sun lenses are exciting sunglasses that eliminate reflected glare. They are especially appropriate for drivers, fishermen, hunters and all types of outdoor activity.
We will be happy to explain and advise on the most suitable type of lenses for your circumstances and lifestyle. We use and recommend lenses manufactured by Essilor, the worldwide leader in ophthalmic lenses and Essilor is your guarantee of quality.