Lenses & Coatings

Anti-Reflective Treatments

The material used to manufacture the lenses on your glasses often creates glare, reflections, and “ghost images” that can interfere with how well you see and cause strain and fatigue. Much of this glare can be eliminated with an Anti-reflective treatment.

Aside from its vision benefits, Anti-reflective treatments also make your glasses look better. In the same way, you can see better out of lenses with this treatment, those looking at you can also see the difference and see your eyes instead of glare coming from your eyewear. Anti-Reflective coatings are a must for those who use the computer and persons who drive at night.

High Index Lenses

One of the biggest concerns for patients with moderate to high prescriptions is “how thick are my glasses going to be?” With the advent of high-index materials, we are able to manufacture very thin and LIGHT lenses even for very high prescriptions. How are High index materials able to do this? As their name implies, they have a higher index of light refraction and are able to bend the light as much as a basic lens without being very thick. At Trinity Eye Associates, “Coke bottle” glasses are a thing of the past. A high index is highly recommended for those patients with moderate to high prescriptions. This thinner and lighter material will not only improve the appearance of your glasses, but will also will make them lighter and give you more flexibility when selecting a frame style. Our doctors will make recommendations to help you decide which high-index lens is right for you.

Polycarbonate

The first and still the most popular high-index plastic is polycarbonate. Polycarbonate was originally developed for fighter jet cockpits. It is very strong, very light, and resistant to scratches and breaking. Most sports lenses are made of polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is also highly recommended for children as it is the most shatter-resistant of the available materials.

Progressive Lenses

As its name suggests a bi-focal only has two focal points (usually distant and near). This limits a bifocal wearer to these focal points. Everything else in between is blurred(computer, dashboard, grocery store products, pricing, facial expressions during conversations, etc). A trifocal has one extra focal point, but still the same limitations. Another problem with this type of lens is eye fatigue and postural problems. When we are in our teens, twenties, and thirties our focusing systems “progressively” focus from distance to near and vice-versa. Hence compared to a bifocal or a trifocal, a progressive mimics natural focusing the closest.

Progressives are multifocal lenses with No-lines. This provides a continuous transition (Progression) from far to near objects. Distant objects are viewed through the upper portion of the lens, while near objects are viewed through the middle or lower portion of the lens.

Even if the patient was unsuccessful in the past, new technology and designs are so individualized that even taking into account your height can make you a successful progressive lens wearer. Our doctors recommend and prescribe a specific type of progressive for you.

Bifocal Lenses

For many people, different lenses are needed for seeing at different distances. Bifocal lenses allow the wearer to look through two areas of the lens. One area focuses on distant objects. The other is used for reading. A little-known fact is that bifocals were invented by Benjamin Franklin, and his style of bifocals is still available today.

Most of the time the “reading” area is smaller, shaped like a sideways “D”, and found in the lower part of the lens. These bifocals are called line bifocals or flat-tops. If you are focusing on distant objects, you look through the top half of the lenses. To read a book, magazine, or newspaper, you look through the “reading” area. The Franklin-style lenses are less common and are split horizontally down the middle of each lens. One thing that is difficult about using bifocals is dealing with the line between the two vision areas. Fortunately, recent technologies have developed a new type of lens, called the no-line, or progressive, lens.

Photochromics (Lenses darken with sunlight)

Photochromic or “Transitions” are well-suited for those patients needing both prescription glasses and prescription sunglasses to accommodate an outdoor lifestyle Darkening of Photochromic is triggered by exposure to UV rays.

The change is caused by particles found within the lens. When the wearer goes outside, the lenses darken or tint. When the wearer goes back inside, the glasses become clear.

Our Doctors can discuss whether photochromic lenses fit into your lifestyle.

Polarized Lenses

As residents of the “Sunshine State”, we are not strangers to the discomfort and visual obstruction caused by glare from wet roads, light reflecting off other vehicles, and glare from your own windshield. This glare is not only uncomfortable but also dangerous. Polarized lenses help eliminate this glare.

Polarized lenses are the most effective type of sunglasses for clear and comfortable vision. Simple tinted or dark lenses just make things seem darker but do not eliminate annoying glare. In the past, polarized lenses were thought of as lenses for the outdoor enthusiast. It is true that fishermen can eliminate the bright reflections from the water and actually see into the water more easily than with other sunglasses, golfers can see the green easier, and joggers and bikers can enjoy reduced glare from the road; however, because they provide the best safest vision for drivers, we recommend polarized lenses to all our patients.
​​​​​​​

Scratch Resistant Coating

The plastics used to make the lenses in your glasses are more susceptible to scratches than the glass used in the past. Scratches not only affect the appearance of the lenses, they also affect how you see through them. The scratch-resistant coating helps minimize the occurrence of you do not minor scratches on your lenses. However, it is important to remember that scratch resistant does not mean scratch-proof. All lenses are susceptible to scratches.

Helpful Articles