Lens
coatings can enhance the performance and appearance of your eyeglass lenses. If
you are thinking about purchasing new eyeglasses, here are lens coatings and
treatments you should consider.
Anti-Reflective
Coating
Anti-reflective
coating (also called AR coating or anti-glare coating) is a microscopically
thin multilayer coating that eliminates reflections from the front and back
surface of eyeglass lenses.
By
doing so, AR coating makes your lenses nearly invisible so people can focus on
your eyes, not distracting reflections from your eyeglasses.
Anti-scratch
coating, hydrophobic coating.
An
anti-scratch coating can lengthen the life of your lenses, while hydrophobic
coatings keep rain, snow and fog at bay.
Anti-reflective
coating also eliminates glare caused by light reflecting from your lenses. With
reflections eliminated, lenses with AR coating provide better vision for night
driving and more comfortable vision for reading and computer use.
AR
coating is highly recommended for all eyeglass lenses, but particularly for
polycarbonate and high-index lenses, which reflect more light than regular
glass or plastic lenses if anti-reflective coating is not applied.
Scratch-Resistant
Coating
No
eyeglass lenses — not even glass lenses — are scratch-proof.
However,
lenses that are treated front and back with a clear, scratch-resistant coating
have a much harder surface that is more resistant to scratching, whether from
dropping your glasses on the floor or occasionally cleaning them with a paper
towel.
Kids'
lenses, especially, benefit from a scratch-resistant hard coat for greater
durability.
Today,
most eyeglass lenses, including high-index lenses and lenses made of
polycarbonate and Trivex, have a built-in scratch-resistant coating.
Since
scratch-resistant coatings are sometimes optional, make sure your optician
knows that you want your eyeglass lenses to include hard coating for extra
durability. Also, ask about the warranty on eyeglass lenses that are treated
with scratch-resistant coating versus those without the coating.
Keep
in mind that even the best scratch-resistant coating can't completely protect
your lenses from wear and tear. To keep your glasses looking new, store them in
a cushioned case when not in use, and clean your lenses with a microfiber cloth
and the cleaning solution your optician recommends.
Also,
be wary of products that promise to repair scratched lenses. These products may
fill in the scratches, but it is impossible for them to make the scratches
disappear so the lenses look new again.
Anti-Fog
Coating
If
you live in a cold climate, nothing is more frustrating than having your
eyeglasses fog up when you come in from the cold. This also can be a safety
issue, since it limits your ability to see until the fog clears. Lens fogging
can be especially dangerous for police officers and other first responders to
emergency situations.
At
least one eyeglass lens coating company (Opticote) has created a permanent
coating designed to eliminate this problem. The factory-applied coating —
called Fog Free — eliminates the condensation of moisture on lenses that causes
fogging.
So
your lenses and vision stay clear when you make the transition from a cold
environment to a warm one. It may also keep your lenses from fogging up during
sports and other times you are hot and perspiring.
Fog
Free can be applied to plastic, polycarbonate and other eyeglass lenses,
including high-index lenses and Transitions photochromic lenses. The anti-fog
coating is applied to the lenses before they are cut to fit into your frame at
the optical lab. Ask your optical retailer about pricing and availability.
Ultraviolet
Treatment
Another
beneficial lens treatment is an invisible dye that blocks ultraviolet (UV)
light. Just as sunscreen keeps the sun's UV rays from harming your skin,
UV-protective treatments for eyeglass lenses block those same rays from
damaging your eyes.
Overexposure
to ultraviolet light is thought to be a cause of cataracts, retinal damage and
other eye problems.
Regular
plastic eyeglass lenses block most UV light, but adding a UV-blocking dye
boosts UV protection to 100 percent for added safety. Other eyeglass lens
materials, including polycarbonate and most high-index plastics, have 100
percent UV protection built-in, so an extra lens treatment is not required for
these lenses.
Photochromic
lenses also block 100 percent of the sun's UV rays without the need for an
added UV lens treatment.
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