Clarity About Lenses

Lens Materials

Polycarbonate Standard Lenses are lightweight, impact-resistant, and have built-in UVA/UVB protection. Polycarbonate is required in most US states, but some online vendors use cheap plastic lenses instead.

Polycarbonate Aspheric Lenses are useful for strong prescriptions above +3/-3. They decrease visual distortion, improve vision quality, and have a slimmer, lighter profile. Plus, they make kids look better in photos.

Lens Coating

Anti-Reflective Coating

Also known as AR coating or non-glare coating. This type of lens treatment reduces reflections of light from the front surface of the lens and eliminates reflections from the back surface of the lens, allowing more light to pass through the lenses.

This helps improve the vision and also makes them cosmetically more appealing by making them nearly invisible so people can see the eyes’ appearance and facial expressions more clearly. They also provide better vision for night driving and more comfortable vision for computer use and reading.

UV Protection

Adding an ultra-violet protective coating to your lenses helps protect your child's eyes from the damaging exposure to ultraviolet sun rays thought to be the cause of certain eye diseases.

Scratch Coating

Also known as “hard coat.” This treatment is applied to the front and back surfaces of lenses to protect against accidental scratching. Kids’ lenses especially benefit from scratch resistant coating, but it is important to understand that no coating can make lenses completely scratch proof. Most eyeglasses lenses in today’s market have a built-in scratch resistant coating.

Crizal Prevencia Blue Light

This anti-reflective coating includes a blue light block specifically for electronic devices that helps reduce eye strain and fatigue. It is also scratch- and smudge-resistant.

Anti-Reflective Coating

Also known as AR coating or non-glare coating. This type of lens treatment reduces reflections of light from the front surface of the lens and eliminates reflections from the back surface of the lens, allowing more light to pass through the lenses.

This helps improve the vision and also makes them cosmetically more appealing by making them nearly invisible so people can see the eyes’ appearance and facial expressions more clearly. They also provide better vision for night driving and more comfortable vision for computer use and reading.

Adding an ultra-violet protective coating to your lenses helps protect your child's eyes from the damaging exposure to ultraviolet sun rays thought to be the cause of certain eye diseases.

Also known as “hard coat.” This treatment is applied to the front and back surfaces of lenses to protect against accidental scratching. Kids’ lenses especially benefit from scratch resistant coating, but it is important to understand that no coating can make lenses completely scratch proof. Most eyeglasses lenses in today’s market have a built-in scratch resistant coating.

This anti-reflective coating includes a blue light block specifically for electronic devices that helps reduce eye strain and fatigue. It is also scratch- and smudge-resistant.

Common Questions About Lenses

  • Does lens quality really matter? 1

    Most parents don't realize that inexpensive lenses can actually harm a child's eyes and development. A child's brain uses sight as an important clue, but young children may not complain about visual problems because they aren't aware of the many processes taking place in their brain. Even well-known kids' glasses can have inferior lenses. One of the benefits of Optiwow is that we do all the legwork for you. Quality costs more, but your child's sight is priceless.

  • 2

    The safest lenses are made from polycarbonate, which is impact-resistant, shatterproof, lightweight, has a scratch-resistant coating, and offers UVA/UVB protection. They are the #1 choice for children’s glasses, safety glasses and sports goggles, and many states require them for all kids under age 18.

  • 3

    AR coating is a lens treatment that reduces light reflection from both the front and back surfaces of the lens. The coating allows more light to pass through the lenses and thereby improves vision. AR-coated lenses are nearly invisible and more cosmetically appealing since they allow people to see the wearer’s eyes and facial expressions better. They also provide better vision for night driving, computer use, and reading.

  • 4

    Scratch-resistant coating helps protect lenses from scratches, but no treatment can prevent scratching completely. We include a scratch-fighting treatment on all lenses.

  • 5

    Bifocal lenses have a visible line that divides the upper part used for distance vision and the lower part used for near vision. Progressive lenses do not have a visible line; they provide a seamless progression of lens powers for all viewing distances.

Reading An Eyeglass Prescription

An eyeglass prescription used by Eye Doctors. Includes all the measurements required for making prescription lenses

Understand the Lingo

  • The symbol is an eye to describe the right eye or OD From the Latin Oculus Dexter OD

    From the Latin, Oculus Dexter, meaning right eye (RE on some newer prescriptions).

  • The symbol is an eye to describe the left eye From the Latin Oculus Sinister OS

    From the Latin, Oculus Sinister, meaning left eye (LE on some newer prescriptions).

  • Sphere Indicates the amount of lens power measured in diopters to correct near- or farsightedness SPHERE (SPH)

    Indicates the amount of lens power, measured in diopters, to correct near- or farsightedness. A minus sign (-) indicates nearsightedness; a plus sign (+) indicates farsightedness.

  • The Cylinder Indicates the amount of lens power to correct astigmatism CYLINDER (CYL)

    Indicates the amount of lens power to correct astigmatism. A plus sign (+) means that the prescription was filled out by an ophthalmologist (MD). A minus sign (-) means the prescription was filled out by an optometrist (OD). The signs (+ and -) are not interchangeable because an ophthalmologist and optometrist have different training.

  • Axis is a number ranging from 0 to 180 that indicates the direction of the cylinder power to correct astigmatism AXIS

    A number ranging from 0 to 180 that indicates the direction of the cylinder power to correct astigmatism.

  • The magnifying lens refers to the added magnifying power applied to the bottom part of a multifocal or bifocal lens ADD

    Refers to the added magnifying power applied to the bottom part of a multifocal or bifocal lens.

  • The triangle refers to the Prism. Usually prescribed to compensate for eye alignment problems PRISM

    Refers to the amount of prismatic power, measured in prism diopters, prescribed to compensate for eye alignment problems.

  • The Base is used to describe prism direction: up; down; in (toward the nose); out (toward the ear) BASE

    Used to describe prism direction: BU base up; BD base down; BI base in (toward the nose); BO base out (toward the ear).

  • The ruler refers to the PD or Pupillary Distance between the center points of both eyes (pupils) in millimeters PUPILLARY DISTANCE (PD)

    The distance between the center points of both eyes (pupils) in millimeters. This measurement ensures the correct positioning of the lenses within the frame.