Glasses come in many different shapes and sizes, but hte most important part is the lens. Most people would think that there is only one type of lens, but there are just as many different types of lenses as there are glasses. We’ve put together a list of the most common types of lenses and their benefits to help you pick a lens and a pair of glasses that works for you.

Here are the 7 most common prescription lens:

Single Vision Lenses

These are the most common type of prescription glasses. They are made to have one viewing range, whether it be near or far, and help to ease the strain on your eyes.

Bifocal Lenses

These lenses have two different viewing distances. They are separated clearly with a horizontal line across the lenses. These are usually for people who need two pairs of glasses, one for reading, and one for everyday use. These lenses combine the two needs into one pair of glasses.

Progressive Lenses

These lenses are similar to the bifocals, except they have three zones and no distinct line. As the name suggests, the lense goes from close to medium and then long range progressively. Usually the bottom of the lense will be for reading, the middle for regular looking, and the top for far distances. The major difference between bifocals and progressives is that there is no distinction between the different zones on progressives.

Blue Light Lenses

These lenses are specifically made to reduce blue light entering your eyes. THe biggest source of blue light today comes from screens such as smartphones and computers. These rays of light are damaging to your retina, especially after extended use. One solution is to wear glasses that have a blue light filter. These lenses will block all of the blue light from entering your eyes, so if you’re an avid creen user, consider blue light lenses for your next pair of glasses.

Photochromic Lenses

Photochromic lenses are made when put through a special process so that they darken when exposed to sunlight. You can get prescription lenses as photochromic or just a plastic pair if you don’t want to buy actual sunglasses. Although they don’t darken as much as a pair of polarized glasses, they can effectively replace your sunglasses if you don’t want to carry around two pairs of glasses. These are especially useful for people who have prescription lenses that tend to be in and out all day, as they will change every time you go outside to block UV rays, and switch back to regular glasses when coming back in.

Tints

This is simply a coating on the outside of the lenses, to give it a darker tint or a certain color, as it is usually available in all sorts of brightly colored styles.

Digitally Surfaced Lenses

These lenses are made to give the user a wider field of vision and extra clarity. Using laser technology, the glasses are put through a process to make the entire lens clearer. This adds not only clarity but more field of view to the use as their eyes can use all of the lense.

About New Optical Palace

New Optical Palace is your Optician and Optometrist in the Kitchener and Waterloo Area. We offer eye exams for adults and children and a wide selection of prescription glasses for your prescription, contact lenses, and sunglasses.