Anti-Reflective Coating

Normal eyewear often creates glare, reflections and “ghost images.” All that can be eliminated with an anti-reflective coating on the front and back surface of your lenses. A premium AR treatment reduces glare, has a protective anti-scratch coating and repels water, greasy substances, dirt and dust making the lenses easier to clean and keep clean.

Without an anti-reflective coating, light will reflect off the front and back surface of the lenses causing reflections or glare. This reduces the wearer’s visual acuity and will also result in reflections off the front surface of the lenses making it difficult and distracting for people to see your eyes through your lenses. In other words, the light reflection is both a cosmetic and functional problem.

Anti-reflective coatings increase light transmission through the lenses to 99.5 percent. They make it easier for you to see and easier for others to see you because light isn't reflecting off the lens surfaces. These coatings are especially useful for those viewing computer screens and driving at night.

Bifocal Lenses

For many people, different lenses are needed for vision at different distances. Bifocal lenses allow the wearer to look through two areas of the lens. The top of the lens is for focusing on distant objects. The bottom of the lens is used for reading. A little-known fact is that bifocals were invented by Benjamin Franklin and his styles of bifocals are still available today.

Most of the time the “reading” area is smaller, shaped like a sideways “D”, and found in the lower half of the lens. These bifocals are called line bifocals or flat-tops. If you are focusing on distant objects, you look through the top half of the lenses. To read a book, magazine or newspaper, you look through the bottom half of the lens or “reading” area. Bifocals are not for everyone because sometimes people have difficulty dealing with the line between the two areas of vision. These Benjamin Franklin style lenses are less common nowadays with the advent of the no line progressive addition lenses. These lenses eliminate the line and allow a gradual increase or progression of power as you move down the lens into the reading area making it easier to transition from distance to near as you look through the lenses.

Cosmetic and Specialty Tints

Eyeglasses are a stylish accessory, a part of your personality and a way for you to be unique. There are an enormous variety of frames to choose from but you may not know there are also many ways to improve the appearance of the lenses. One option is the use of cosmetic tints. These tints offer a variety of colors and shades allowing you to choose any color of the rainbow. Some lenses are clear at the bottom and gradually get more colored towards the top of the lenses. This is called a gradient tint. There are many ways to tint your lenses to whatever style suits your personality. Also be aware that tints may also be applied for functional reasons such as golf, shooting or simply for comfort.

High Index Lenses

Years ago the only materials available for use as lenses were glass and a hard resin called CR-39. However, technology has led to development of high index lenses in recent years. High index materials are named as such because they have a higher index of light refraction. Basically, they can do the same job that glass or CR-39 does but high index lenses are much thinner and lighter. With high index lenses, you can avoid having “soda bottle” lenses.

When learning about high index lenses, you may hear many unfamiliar terms and numbers. Here are a few things to remember.

• Polycarbonate
  The first and still the most popular high index plastic is polycarbonate. Polycarbonate was originally developed for fighter jet cockpits. It is very strong, very light and resistant to scratches and breaking. Most sports and safety lenses are made of polycarbonate.
• Mid-Index
  Other high index materials are classified by numbers. The higher the number, the thinner and lighter the lens. The lower numbers are classified as mid-index lenses. Mid-index lenses, such as 1.54, 1.56, and 1.57, are thinner than glass and nearly as strong as CR-39.
• High-Index
  High index lenses, such as 1.66, 1.74 and 1.9, are much thinner than regular glass or plastic. Talk with your doctor to decide which high index lens is right for you.

Progressive Lenses

One of the main problems with bifocal and trifocal lenses is getting used to the lines in the lenses and keeping track of which part of the lens you are in. For some it may be difficult to get used to switching from one focusing power to another. These lenses may make your eyes tired or even lead to a headache, sore neck and sore back.

A recent technological improvement over bifocals and trifocals is the no-line lens or progressive lens. No-lines provide a smooth transition from focusing on distance objects to focusing on near objects and vice versa because they do not have a distinct line which separates the focusing powers. Instead, a gradual change in power allows the wearer to focus on objects at all distances including intermediate distances such as arms length or the video display of your computer. Distant objects are viewed through the upper portion of the lens while near objects are viewed through the middle or lower portion of the lens. 

Digitally Surfaced or Free Form Lenses

Digital technology is now available through digitally surfaced lenses. Digital surfacing or free form is a significant advancement in the manufacturing process of ophthalmic lenses using very sophistcated software for their design and fabrication. This allows a unique lens to be produced for each individual by customizing and optimizing the optical design to the prescription, frame and fit of the frame that is not possible with traditional semi-finished lens blanks. These lenses can enhance your visual experience by providing you with less peripheral distortion and a sharper image. Ask us about this new technology.

Photochromics

If you have ever felt frustrated at needing both prescription glasses and prescription sunglasses to accommodate an outdoor lifestyle, you should consider photochromic lenses. Photochromic lenses darken when exposed to UV rays. The change is caused by photochromic molecules that are found throughout the lens or in a coating on the front of the lens. When the wearer goes outside, the lenses darken. When the wearer goes back inside, the glasses become clear. There are a variety of photochromic options available. Depending on what you choose, you can customize the lenses to your needs. Some lenses darken only in direct sunlight, while others darken in little or no direct light. Some are designed to darken while you are in the car to reduce road glare while you are driving. You can even choose the color of the tint. Ask your doctor what options are available.

• Transitions VI - A great replacement for ordinary clear lenses. Conveniently adept to changing light conditions outdoors. Blocks 100% UVA and UVB. Reduces eye strain and eye fatique for more comfortable vision.
• XTRActive - Photochromic action that starts with light tint and reaches higher level of darkness. Activates moderately behind windshield.
• SOLFX - Designed to be worn outdoors in place of traditional sun lenses.
• Vantage - Photochromic action and polarization together in one lens.

Polarized Lenses

Glare from wet roads, light reflecting off other vehicles and glare from your own hood or windshield can be annoying and dangerous when driving. To eliminate this glare, we offer polarized lenses. Polarized lenses eliminate almost all glare, reducing eye strain and increasing visibility. Polarized lenses are the most effective way to reduce glare.

Most glare comes from horizontal surfaces, so the light is “horizontally polarized.” Polarized lenses feature a vertically-oriented “polarizer.” These polarizers block the horizontally-polarized light. The result is a glare-reduced view of the world. Polarized lenses can make a world of difference for any outdoor enthusiast as well. Fisherman can eliminate the bright reflections from the water and actually see into the water more easily than with standard sunglasses, golfers can see the green easier and joggers or bikers can enjoy reduced glare from the road. In addition, drivers can enjoy the safety and comfort that polarized lenses provide while driving.

Scratch Resistant Coating

If you have hard resin lenses (CR-39), you should consider getting a scratch resistant coating. Resins and plastics are more susceptible to scratches than glass. Scratches damage the cosmetic look of the lenses and compromise their optical performance. With a scratch resistant coating, you do not have to worry as much about causinig minor scratches on your lenses.

Another advantage of scratch resistant coatings is that most coatings come with a one-year warranty. They are a great investment to prevent minor scratches. However, it is important to remember that scratch resistant does not mean scratch-proof. All lenses are susceptible to scratches.

Specialty Lenses

We have all heard the phrase, “Different strokes for different folks.” Well, this also holds true when it comes to selecting glasses. There are different lenses for just about everybody. No matter what your particular need, there is probably a specialty lens designed for you.

For example, a specialty lens that is becoming increasingly useful is designed for computer users. Computer lenses have “windows” designed for viewing your computer screen, documents on your desk and distant objects. The lenses are designed to reduce Computer Vision Syndrome, or CVS, which is characterized by headaches, eye strain, neck and back aches, dry eyes, blurred vision, and double vision.

Another example is called the double D-segment lens, also known as the double flat-top lens. If you look through the center of the lens, you can focus on distant objects. But you can also look through a D-shaped segment near the top of the lens to see nearby overhead objects more clearly. This is very useful if you are involved in work where you are looking at nearby objects above your field of vision, as with carpenters and pilots. The D-shaped segment near the bottom of the lens allows for reading.

Trifocal Lenses

Bifocals allow the wearer to read through the lower half of the lens and to focus on distant objects through the upper half of the lens. As the eyes age, though, a stronger prescription is often needed to read. This would be fine, but the stronger prescription that allows for reading makes it difficult to focus on objects at intermediate distances, such as grocery items on a shelf or your speedometer. Thus, trifocals are necessary as a third prescription for intermediate focusing.

Trifocals, also known as line trifocals, feature three areas of focusing power, each separated from the other by a distinct line. The three windows allow for focusing on distant objects, intermediate distance objects and near objects such as reading material. The downside of trifocals is dealing with the lines between the different focusing powers. Fortunately, recent advances in technology have led to developments in no-line or progressive lenses.