Lens coatings help protect your vision by offering different benefits, and can also prolong the life of your eyewear. Let’s review different lens coatings, so you can make the right choices for your next pair of glasses.
Anti-reflective Coatings
Anti-reflective coatings, sometimes called anti-glare, are a smart choice for lenses, especially if you do a lot of night driving. The windshield throws off glare from surrounding headlights, as do street and traffic lights. When it rains, these reflections only worsen. These types of obstructions to your vision can be dangerous. Anti-reflective coatings help cut down on added glare by eliminating reflections from your lenses.
Excessive glare from electronic devices can also cause headaches and digital eye strain. Anti-glare coatings help reduce the shine you experience when looking at a computer or television screen through your glasses.
Anti-scratch Coatings
Protecting your glasses is almost as important as safeguarding your vision. Anti-scratch coatings add a layer of protection to your lenses, reducing scratches for clearer and safer vision. Children are especially prone to scuffing their eyewear, so consider a scratch-resistant coating on their eyeglasses as well.
UV Protection Coatings Are for All Types of Glasses – Not Just Sunglasses
A condition called photokeratitis can develop if your eyes have prolonged exposure to UV rays. The condition is essentially a sunburn on the eyes. Overexposure to UV rays can also contribute to the development of other eye conditions including cataracts, macular degeneration or retinal damage.
It’s common for sunglasses to have built-in UV protection for your eyes, but what about clear lens glasses? While many plastic lenses made today have UV protection built in, adding a UV coating ensures that 100% of all ultraviolet rays don’t reach your eyes through your glasses, safeguarding your vision health by providing maximum shielding.
Blue Light Coatings
The screens of electronics like smartphones, tablets and computers emit blue light. Energy-efficient light bulbs give off blue light as well. Too much blue light at night can suppress the secretion of melatonin, a chemical that helps regulate sleep/wake patterns. Also, blue light can cause digital eye strain, causing eye twitches or red eyes.
Researchers from Harvard found that people can protect themselves by wearing glasses that block blue light. Since we live in a digital age, and are increasingly exposed to more energy-efficient lighting, a blue light coating on your eyewear is a good investment in your vision health.
Schedule your next eye exam with Southwestern Eye Center and visit our optical shop to discuss your lens options.