Lens Options - Coats and Tints
Scratch-Resistant Coating
No 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 it's from dropping your glasses on the floor or occasionally cleaning them with a paper towel, the scratch resistant coat gives your lenses extra protection. Kids' lenses, especially, benefit from a scratch-resistant hard coat.
Today, most lenses, including high-index lenses and lenses made of polycarbonate and traditional plastic materials, have a built-in scratch-resistant coating.
Since a scratch-resistant coating can't completely protect your lenses from wear and tear, do keep your glasses in a cushioned case, and clean them with a microfiber cloth and the recommended cleaning solution.
Ultraviolet Treatment
UV protection filters out the suns ultraviolet rays that are damaging to the eyes. Many types of lenses such as polycarbonate, trivex , high index and photochromatic already provide this protection within the lens material. You will also find this in polarized lenses. Using a UV protected lens or coating can decrease the cause of premature cataracts .
Lenses with Tints
Most lenses can be tinted to any color which can help reduce glare and block light. Tint should be used in correlation with UV and scratch coats to optimize the lenses. Both plastic ad glass lenses can be tinted in any colour. A lens may be either evenly tinted in one colour or may be gradually
lightened from the top down, better known as a gradient lens. When choosing colour for your lenses
it is important to keep a few factors in mind:
- Gray lens tints reduce brightness and do not distort color.
- Brown lens tints reduce glare, but distort colors more than gray tints do.
- Yellow lens tints reduce haze and sharpen up the view, but they cause more color distortion.
- Green tinted lenses reduce glare provide good contrast between objects.
- Rose colored lenses might be a good choice if you participate in water sports or other outdoor activities, because they provide good contrast for objects viewed against blue or green backgrounds.