Types of Eyewear Coatings and Treatments and Their Benefits
There are a lot of ways you can personalize your eyeglasses and other protective eyewear to your needs and lifestyle. These include special coatings and treatments. In this article, we’ll first take a look at some considerations you should take when selecting the right treatments for your lenses, as well as all of the different coatings and treatments you can choose from.
Why Select a Lens Coating and What You Should Consider
Lenses alone only provide vision correction. However, coatings and treatments enhance your eyewear’s functionality. Whether you stare at a lot of digital screens for work, or you work construction or do outdoor sports, there are a lot of different treatments that can make doing your job or hobby much more comfortable.
The right lens treatment can:
- Reduce glare and reflections, improving clarity and making nighttime driving easier.
- Protect against scratches and damage, extending the life of your lenses.
- Block harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, which can reduce your risk of cataracts and other eye conditions.
- Minimize blue light exposure, which reduces digital eye strain.
- Improve comfort and prevent fogging or even excess brightness in different environments.
Now that we’ve looked at the benefits of adding a coating or treatment, let’s dive into the different options that may be available to you and their specific purpose.
Scratch Resistant Coating
Scratches can make it difficult to see clearly and we do not recommend wearing eyewear with scratches as it can cause eye strain. Opting for a scratch-resistant coating can provide more visual comfort and help extend the lifespan of your lenses by adding a hard, durable surface. This treatment can be especially helpful for people who frequently take their glasses on and off or have young children who may handle their eyewear. It’s also handy for young children who require glasses themselves. Many scratch-resistant coatings come with a warranty for additional peace of mind.
UV Protection
Ultraviolet (UV) rays contribute to eye conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Adding UV protection lens coating helps to shield your eyes from harmful UVA and UVB rays–just like sunscreen protects your skin! If you are purchasing prescription sunglasses or sports eyewear, ensure your lenses offer 100 percent UVA and UVB protection.
Anti-Reflective (AR)/Anti-Glare Coating
This is one of the most popular treatments for prescription eyewear. Anti-reflective coating is designed to reduce the amount of light bouncing off your lenses. This helps to reduce glares and halos, which can be great for night driving or if you work under bright lighting. It reduces the glare you can see around computer and TV screens, enhancing clarity and comfort. It also makes your glasses more visually appealing by eliminating surface reflections, allowing people to see your eyes more clearly. It is an excellent choice for anyone who spends quite a bit of time in front of a computer screen or under artificial lighting, reducing eye strain in numerous circumstances.
Polarized Lenses
Polarized lenses reduce glare from reflective surfaces (like water, snow, wet roads, and the mirrors/windows of other cars), making them perfect for those who enjoy outdoor activities like boating and skiing, or who do a lot of driving. They work by blocking horizontal light waves. If you find yourself frequently squinting in bright environments, polarized lenses can give you more visual comfort. Different colors can even help to enhance contrast and improve your ability to see details for different activities.
Anti-Fog Coating
Fogged-up lenses can be an inconvenience in humid environments, when wearing a face mask, or during cold weather. An anti-fog coating works to prevent condensation from forming on your lenses, giving you clearer vision at all times. This is the perfect option for athletes, healthcare professionals, or anyone who frequently goes between different temperatures.
Mirror Coating
This adds a reflective finish to the outside of your lenses. Not only does it look stylish, but it also helps reduce the amount of light entering your eyes. This coating can be helpful if you constantly find yourself in bright conditions, such as when spending many hours outdoors. A mirror coating on top of a polarized lens will give you the darkest lenses available for the brightest conditions (especially for those with light sensitivity).
Blue Light Filtering Treatment
Most of us have smartphones, tablets, and computers that we spend many hours on. Prolonged exposure to the blue light emitted from these screens can lead to eye fatigue. Opting for a blue light coating helps to filter out these high-energy wavelengths, reducing eye fatigue and improving sleep quality. If you spend a lot of time looking at digital screens, this coating is for you!
Photochromatic Lenses
Photochromatic lenses, also known as transitions, automatically adjust to changing light conditions. They darken in bright sunlight and become clear in dimmer (indoor) settings. This type of coating can provide you with consistent eye protection without the need of physically switching between prescription glasses and prescription sunglasses. This is particularly helpful for those who move between indoor and outdoor environments often or require glasses for distance and/or driving. Also, protochromatic lenses automatically protect against blue light.
Lens Tints
You can also opt for tinted lenses. Tints can be solely for style, or have a designated purpose such as gaming, helping with migraine symptoms, or light sensitivity. All sunglasses are tinted to some degree, whether it’s solid across the lens or shaded in a gradient. Tints can make bright situations easier on your eyes. Some popular tint colors include:
- Blue: reduces glare and improves color perception indoors and outdoors
- Brown: helps prevent eye strain from digital devices, bright environments, and glare
- Gray: preserves color accuracy while still shielding eyes from bright light
- Pink and Red: increases depth perception, which can be helpful when driving. Also helps reduce strain from harsh lighting.
- Yellow: improves visual clarity, especially in low light
Not Sure What’s Right For You?
If you aren’t sure what treatment, coating, or tint is right for you, speak to your eye doctor about your needs. Your eye doctor can help you select the right treatments for your lenses, helping you get more enjoyment out of wearing your prescription eyewear!
Black Diamond Eye Care is on a mission to make selecting glasses a fun, personal, and beneficial experience! Learn more about our lens, frame, and sunglass options and how we can help you pick the right eyewear for your needs.
