Eyeglasses: Tips to Help You Pick The Right Lenses

Eyeglasses today are fashion accessories, as stylish as purses and belts. So don't fret if contact lenses bother your eyes. Instead, scope out the latest frames to give your face a fresh look.

What Types of Lenses Are Available?

As technology advances, so do lenses. In the past, they were made exclusively of glass. Today, most are made of high-tech plastics. These new ones are lighter, don’t break as easily as glass, and can be treated with a filter to shield your eyes from damaging ultraviolet (UV) light.

The following lenses are lighter, thinner, and more scratch-resistant than glass or the older plastic types.

Polycarbonate. These impact-resistant lenses are a good choice if you play sports, work where your eyeglasses could easily get damaged, or have kids who are tough on their specs. They also have built-in UV protection.

Trivex. They’re made from a newer plastic that’s similar to polycarbonate lenses. They’re lightweight, thin, and impact-resistant. They may also correct vision better for some people.

High-index plastic. If you need a strong prescription, these lenses are lighter and thinner than the old-school super-thick ones you may have had in the past.

Aspheric. These have various degrees of curvature. That means they can be thinner and flatter so you can use a much larger portion of the surface.

Polarized sunglasses. These lenses reduce glare from a surface like water, so they’re great for sports and driving. But they can make it hard to see the liquid crystal display on your car’s dashboard.

Your type of vision problem will determine the shape of your lens. You’ll need a concave lens (curves inward) if you’re nearsighted. A convex lens (curves outward) will help if you’re farsighted. If you have astigmatism, your cornea is shaped wrong, so your lenses may be more like a cylinder. Simply put, the lens is a tool you use to focus light onto your retina in the correct way.

What Are Multifocal Eyeglass Lenses?

If you're in your mid-40s or older, you probably have glasses with multifocal lenses, like bifocals or trifocals. These have two or more prescriptions to correct your vision. In the past, you could spot this type of lens by the line between the two sections. But today’s products often look seamless.

Bifocals. The most common type of multifocal. The lens is split into two sections. The upper part helps with distance vision. The lower half is for near vision. They’re usually prescribed for people over 40 who can’t focus well anymore. That’s due to presbyopia, an age-related change that affects your eye's lens.

Trifocals. These are bifocals with a third section. It sits above the bifocal portion of the lens. You look through it to see objects within arm's reach, like a computer screen.

There are also progressive lenses, which have no line, and start with your distance prescription at the top and progressively move toward your full reading prescription at the very bottom.

If you have questions about which type is right for you, talk to your eye doctor. They can help you choose the one that best fits your lifestyle and vision needs.

Eyeglass Lens Coatings

There are almost as many coatings as there are lenses.

Anti-reflective. It can help with glare, reflections, halos around light, and make for a nicer look.

Scratch-resistant and ultraviolet protection. Most lenses today have these built in.

Tinted lenses. Sometimes, a light or dark hint of color on the lens can help you see better. A yellow tint may increase contrast. A gray tint to your sunglasses won’t change the colors of things. A light tint can hide signs of aging around your eyes.

Mirror coatings. This is purely for looks, but it does hide your eyes from view. You can find them in a range of colors like silver, gold, and blue.

Eyeglasses for Children

A successful eye doctor visit is only half the battle when it comes to helping your child see better. The hard part comes when you have to persuade them to wear their new glasses every day. Follow these steps to find the right specs and help them want to keep them on.

• Fit the frames. They shouldn’t pinch their ears or nose, or weigh down their face. Check the spots where they touch their face every so often to make sure their skin isn’t irritated.
• Get the prescription right. If your child looks over the tops of their glasses or complains that they can’t see with them, their prescription may be wrong. Go back to your optician or eye doctor and get it checked out.
• Start slowly. Have them wear the glasses for short periods of time while they sit down at the beginning. It’s also best to start first thing in the morning. Then slowly increase how long they keep them on.
• Set a schedule. Make their glasses part of their daily routine. Encourage them to put them on in the morning when they get dressed and take them off at night before they go to bed.
• Pile on the praise. Let them know what a good job they’re doing every time they wear their glasses.

If they just won’t do it, troubleshoot first. Is the prescription correct? If it is, explain again why they need them.

Eye Protection for Children's Sports

Whether it’s prescription or not, protective eyewear is a great way to prevent injuries. It’s a good idea for any kid who’s into:

• Baseball or softball
• Basketball
• Soccer
• Hockey
• Tennis
• Karate
• Racquetball

Your child may not want to use protective eyewear at first, especially if they’re the only one on the team who has it. But you can help. Let them pick out the eye gear so they’re in charge of style. And lead by example and wear the gear yourself when you play sports.

Eyeglasses Care Tips

Always store them in a clean, dry place away from things that can hurt them.

Clean them with water and a nonlint cloth. That’ll keep them spot-free and help you see clearly.

See your doctor yearly to check your prescription. Routine eye exams also help keep your eyes healthy.

Read more on: eye health