A Guide To Selecting the Best Prescription Lenses for Your Needs

According to statistics from recent years, almost 75% of the adult population of the world needs some kind of corrective eyewear to properly see. From reading glasses to goggles worn while playing sports, there are many reasons why you might need to wear such an accessory. Naturally, picking the right glasses requires a bit of thought. There are several important considerations to take with your prescription lenses. From the materials used to the type of correction the lenses are crafted to handle, you want to give yourself time to make the right choice.

While it might seem like picking out glasses is as easy as any other shopping experience, you need to put in a bit of effort to feel satisfied by the results. Take a look over this simplified guide and get a better idea of how you can find the right lenses for your needs. With a little effort, you will have no trouble feeling confident in the glasses you pick out.

The Materials

First and foremost, you need to consider the options you have in terms of lens material. Once upon a time, the only available choice to consumers was glasses. This is somewhat obvious, as the name “glasses” comes directly from the inclusion of this material. To this day, glass is still a top choice because it provides a clear picture for the viewer. However, glass is fragile and easily breaks. Due to this, plastic lenses have grown in popularity immensely. Since the 1940s, plastic has been used to craft durable, lightweight lenses.

Polycarbonate lenses are also a great fit. Predominantly used in safety glasses, polycarbonate materials are incredibly light and can withstand the sudden impacts that come along in high-risk industries. Finally, high-index plastic lenses are one of the more modern options available to you. High-index plastic creates thinner, lighter lenses that are crafted for a higher index of refraction. Before making the right choice for your needs, be sure to weigh out the pros and cons associated with each of the materials available for lenses.

The Refraction Index

Another vital point you need to pay attention to when selecting your prescription glasses is the refraction index of the lenses. Also known as the refractive index, this is typically a system of assigning a specific number to lenses based on how effective the lenses are at bending light as it hits the material. Naturally, this is where things can get confusing for the average consumer. Unless you can easily estimate the ratio of the speed of light when it encounters a particular material, you'll need some help.

Essentially, the most important thing to keep in mind is that the higher the index of the material, the slower the light movement is as it passes through the lenses. This, in turn, means less material is required to appropriately manipulate light in the most beneficial way for the wearer. Should you have any specific questions about the index and how it impacts your choice, your best bet is to work with a professional to gain more insight on the matter and avoid making a simple error in the selection process.

The Abbe Value and Aspheric Design

Optical quality is another important angle to remain mindful of when it comes to selecting appropriate lenses. When buying prescription glasses online, it can be useful to look over the Abbe value attributed to the lenses. Essentially, this number is meant to provide information on how the lenses disperse the various wavelengths of light it comes in contact with. If you select the incorrect value for your lenses, you might notice a chromatic aberration. This is a type of error that happens around the edge of the lenses when light hits the material.

A low number on the Abbe value indicates that the material of the lenses is more likely to cause a chromatic aberration. Be sure to play around with options to find the right fit. Beyond this, you might want to look into aspheric design for your lenses. This means that the lenses are crafted in such a way that allows for flatter curves and an improved field of vision overall. As long as you look into the Abbe value and aspheric design options, you will have a better handle on selecting the right fit for your lifestyle.

The Treatment Options

Along with the basics, it can be useful for you to think about the plethora of treatment options available with your lenses. Perhaps the most common option is an anti-scratch coating. No matter how much work you put into protecting your glasses, you never know when a simple mistake can lead to a major scratch. If you have lightweight lenses, you want an anti-scratch treatment to help protect the material from various sources of wear and tear. Another common option is an anti-reflective treatment, meant to boost clarity and reduce overall light distortion.

Some people also find that UV-blocking treatments are invaluable. If you're someone who spends a considerable amount of time outside, this is one of the best choices available to you. A treatment designed to block UV rays will reduce the overall amount of light that passes through the glasses. Since endless reports have highlighted the long-term damage that can be done from prolonged exposure to such light, taking extra steps to keep yourself safe is a fantastic way to remain as protected as possible. Look over all treatment choices to determine which fits best.

Types of Glasses

It should also be noted that there are different kinds of lenses meant for different vision impairments. For example, glasses that are deemed “ single vision glasses” are the most common. These are the glasses that are meant to help with both nearsightedness and farsightedness. People with astigmatism also use this type of eyewear. With these glasses, there is a single prescription involved with the lenses. Unless otherwise noted by an eyecare specialist, this is the kind of eyewear you will likely be searching for.

Bifocals are another commonplace option you might be seeking out. Unlike single vision glasses, bifocals are crafted to feature more than a single prescription. Since these glasses have two different optical abilities, they are usually prescribed to anyone suffering from presbyopia. Finally, progressive lenses might be a good fit. Similar to bifocals, progressives are meant to feature more than one prescription to provide the perfect experience to the wearer. Typically, the final choice will be determined entirely by the state of your eyes and the needs of your vision.

Making the Perfect Choice

Now that you have a better idea of the various factors involved with picking out the right lenses, it is time to figure out which is best for you. The first step is to make sure you have an accurate prescription. There's no point in going through all the trouble of learning about lenses if you get the wrong prescription. Once you know whether or not you require a single prescription or bifocals, it makes the rest of the decisions a lot easier. If you don't have an updated prescription, you must see a specialist.

It can also be useful to think about the frames you'd like to buy. These days, most brands make frames that can be fitted to any prescription. However, this is not always the case. If you have your heart set on a particular style, you should verify that the frames can be fitted with your prescription. In some cases, a prescription that requires extra thickness in the lenses can limit which styles of frame you can use. Take time to weigh out different options with frames and see how to best move forward.

The Cost

Finally, you should always consider the price when it comes to picking out glasses. While a good chunk of people requires prescription eyewear to see, the price barrier can make it difficult for many to find acceptable options. The average price of prescription eyewear runs somewhere around $250. While this can be steep in and of itself, the price will go up significantly if you require extra features or treatments for your lenses. The best way to go about things is by establishing a budget.

Sitting down with your budget and assessing the various price points available to you can be a great way to get started. When you've established a budget, you'll know what you can afford and what you will need to say no to. Whether you need to pay out of pocket or you are granted a specific allowance through your insurance prover, having an accurate idea of how much you can spend on your eyewear will make a huge impact on your overall success. Determine this, then move forward with your search to see what falls in your budget.