What are the Different Types of Eyeglass Lens Materials?
If you ask baby boomers what type of lens material they want for their eyewear, they would say glass because for generations, corrective eyeglass lenses have meant glass lenses. But in the last few decades, plastic has seeped into every sphere of life and, fortunately, for good in the eyeglass industry. Today, the best anti blue light glasses are the ones made of plastic.
1. Glass Material Eyewear Lens
The traditional one, glass, has been the material of choice for eyeglasses lenses due to its amazing optic properties. Glass lenses offer clear vision, can be made thinner, scratch-resistant, looks good on your face and still have a premium feel. But the only things that go against glass is they can break easily and are a little heavier than other lens materials.
2. Plastic Material Eyeglass Lens
Plastic glasses were developed in the early 1940s to be used during the war because they were more shatterproof than glass. Another advantage is that they are lightweight, impact resistant and inexpensive. Currently, plastic has almost replaced glass eyeglasses completely. However, they are prone to scratches and do not offer as clear a vision as glass eyeglasses. That said, there are different types of plastic glasses available that are comparable to glass eyeglasses.
3. Polycarbonate Material Eyewear Lens
Polycarbonate is a premium plastic. It is a group of thermoplastic polymers which are naturally transparent amorphous thermoplastic-containing carbonate groups in their chemical structure. Polycarbonate glasses are light in weight, have better impact-resistant properties, offer a clear vision, can be made thinner and provide UV protection. High quality polycarbonate glasses are often considered hi-index plastic lenses with a refractive index of 1.70.
4. Trivex Material Eyeglass Lens
Trivex lenses are plastic but with optic properties that are a little better than polycarbonate glasses. But polycarbonate glasses have the edge over Trivex lenses in thickness; they are thinner. So, if we look at the impact-resistant properties of Trivex lenses, they are as good as polycarbonate lenses.
5. Hi-Index Plastic Material Eyeglass Lens
Last but not least, we want to mention hi-index plastic glasses which some companies manufacture. It is another form of plastic but with a good refractive index. These types of lenses are lighter than standard plastic glasses but not as light as polycarbonate glasses, which are the thinnest plastic lens available in the market, but cost far more than other types.
At Ambr Eyewear, we choose polycarbonate to make our blue-light-blocking glasses. We focus on impact resistance and making them lightweight. Our polycarbonate lenses provide the clearest blue light filter glasses that can survive the impact of a steel ball traveling 160 km/h without shattering.
Suggestions
We would recommend polycarbonate glasses for prolonged screen use because they offer a clear vision, high quality optics, are light in weight, thin and affordable.
