It’s helpful if you’d rather not carry separate sunglasses.īlue-light-blocking coatings ($30 to $180) are said to reduce exposure to computer screens’ LED light. Photochromic coating ($50 to $150) darkens in sunlight and shields you from UV rays. Most lenses come with this coating make sure yours do. Ultraviolet protection ($20 to $100) is a good idea for most people because the sun’s UV rays may boost the risk of cataracts. If you have trouble seeing properly when on a computer, when driving or at night, consider them. Check the warranty retailers such as Warby Parker will replace at no charge lenses that get scratched in the first year after purchase.Īnti-reflective coating ($50 to $100), often bundled with high-index and high-definition lenses, used to be smudge-prone and hard to clean, but it now has anti-smudge/anti-fog technology.
Five common treatments to know about:Īnti-scratch coating -generally a good idea for all - comes with 95 percent of plastic lenses. Lens coatings are meant to protect your eyes from light or increase lens durability. They can be useful if you wear rimless or semi-rimless frames, or if you’re hard on glasses. Trivex lenses ($200 for single-vision, $400 for progressives) are extremely resistant to impacts and scratches. High-index lenses ($150 for single-vision, $350 for progressives) are quite thin and light, but unlike other thin lenses, they work for even the strongest prescriptions. You may opt for them if you have more-complex visual problems such as cataracts or corneal scars. High-definition lenses ($310 for progressives) offer sharper vision and better peripheral vision than basic lenses. Pricier than bifocals ($105), progressives can take days to weeks to get accustomed to if they’re made with CR-39 or polycarbonate materials. Consider them if you need glasses for distance and reading and if you find the split screen of bifocals or trifocals uncomfortable. Progressives ($260) provide a smooth, gradual change in lens strength for seeing well at any distance. Here are four, along with their national average costs: If you need glasses to see both near and far, lens choices get more complex.
(Some retailers occasionally offer lenses free of charge as part of packages.) A more durable, thinner, lighter and more popular option is polycarbonate lenses, which were found for $9 to $205. They can be inexpensive - Consumer Reports found them for $29 to $149 - but they can look thick if you need stronger prescriptions.
If you have a single-vision prescription (glasses to see far away or close up), you can generally get by with CR-39 lenses. (Few people now use glass, which is heavy and breakable.) The two best-selling lenses are the most basic ones: the CR-39 and the polycarbonate, both plastic.