Prescription lenses offer so much more than just enabling you to see clearly. Many people are surprised to learn that in addition to putting a great deal of thought into which frames they will choose, there are also a wide variety of different types of lenses and lens technologies that can alter and improve their vision.

Here are some of the different varieties of lenses that you may be offered, and what they can do for your vision.

Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate lenses are great if you are accident prone or you play sports. That’s because these lenses are impact-resistant, which makes them much more durable than some other varieties. They also come with in-built UV protection, which prevents harmful UV rays from the sun from reaching your eyes and the sensitive skin around it. This is important, as damage to the eyes from the sun is progressive, and people who don’t protect their eyes could be more likely to suffer from conditions like macular degeneration and cataracts in the future. 

Trivex

Trivex lenses are a modern plastic variety that is very similar to polycarbonate. However, they are lighter and thinner, while retaining their impact resistance. This means that they are preferable for some patients.

High-Index Plastic

If you have a very high prescription because your refractive eye issues are fairly severe, you may be expecting to need super-thick plastic lenses. Fortunately, this is no longer the case thanks to high-index plastic varieties which are thinner and lighter, giving them an ultra-modern look.

Photochromic Lenses

Photochromic lenses are advanced technology lenses that can change from clear to tinted depending on the light levels where you are. In bright sunlight, they automatically darken to protect your eyes from glare. Meanwhile, in darker environments, the lenses return to clear. This makes them highly effective if you are frequently moving between dark and light environments and can reduce your need for sunglasses.

Polarized Lenses

Used in sunglasses, these smart lenses are designed to reduce glare from surfaces like water, snow, and ice, which makes them very effective for people who spent a lot of time driving, on the water, or participating in winter sports activities.

Monofocal, Bifocal, Or Trifocal Lenses?

These names of these lenses refer to how many prescriptions are incorporated into them.

• Monofocal lenses are recommended for patients with a single prescription
  
   

• Bifocal lenses have two prescriptions within the lens, with the upper part tailored for distance vision and the lower part for near vision. This type of lens is most commonly recommended for people over the age of 40 suffering from the age-related vision problem called presbyopia
  
   

• Trifocal lenses contain an additional level of prescription that is used to focus on objects that are an arm’s length away, and these are usually recommended for people who spend a lot of time using a computer/laptop
  
   

Progressive lenses

Progressive lenses are the name given to a multi-prescription lens that has no clearly defined areas, but instead, the focus at different distances is gradual across the whole of the lens. Some people prefer this smoother transition when viewing objects through their lenses.

What About Lens Coatings?

Once you have selected which lenses are right for you, your eye doctor will almost certainly talk to you about lens coatings too. As their name suggests, these are special coatings that are applied to your chosen lenses that have different benefits depending on which you choose. Some of the lens coating options that you will be given could include:

• Scratch resistance
  
   

• Anti-reflective
  
   

• UV protection
  
   

• Tints
  
   

• Blue-light blocking (recommended for people who spend a lot of time using digital devices)

Your eye doctor will be able to recommend the most effective lens coatings for you based on your individual needs.

For more information about lens technology and picking the perfect lenses for your eyeglasses, don’t hesitate to speak to our expert eye care team at Sturgeon's Optical at (304) 245-9300. We can customize eyeglass lenses to fit any requirement and budget.