LENS MATERIAL

There have been many advances in lens technology, and not too long ago, glass was the only material used to make corrective lenses. Today, there are a number of space age materials used to make lenses, and Longview Eye Associates provides a comprehensive range of lens materials to suit each patient's preference and/or requirement.

The materials we use to make lenses are:

• Glass lenses are heavy and also expensive. While they are tempered for impact resistance, they are not unbreakable or shatterproof. Glass is the heaviest lens material and is rarely prescribed because of more durable, lighter-weight materials currently available.

• Plastic lenses are made of conventional hard resin and are half the weight of glass lenses. They can also be tinted to almost any color and density.

• High index plastic lenses are thinner and lighter and can also absorb harmful UV rays from the sun. They are called "high index" because they can achieve stronger corrections with lens thicknesses considerably slimmer than glass lenses or regular plastic lenses.

• Polycarbonate lenses are the most impact-resistant lenses available, and are always the lenses of choice for young people and active adults. Polycarbonate lenses are the lightest and most comfortable lenses available, and they absorb all harmful UV rays.

 

LENS DESIGN

There are four different types of lenses designed to fit your particular vision and aesthetic needs.

Single vision lenses have only one optical center throughout the lens surface to correct a single vision problem.

Bifocal lenses have two fields of vision ... distance and close up.

Trifocals lenses provide three fields of view. In addition to near and distance, trifocals provide an intermediate range of vision correction.

Progressive lenses have no dividing lines between the correction powers, since the powers changes gradually across the lens surface. The lack of dividing lines makes progressive lenses cosmetically appealing without compromising vision correction.