Are you in the market for new eye glasses?
Do you know what you what you’re buying?

When we go to buy eyeglasses most of us think a lot about the style of the frame, however the really important part is the lenses, that’s what helps us see better!

Something I just learned is that lenses are made up of three parts – material, design, and treatment. Each part plays an important role in your comfort, the way you see and your overall happiness with your glasses. Studies show that most people want “light and thin glasses” and they want the lenses to be “scratch resistant.” Let’s look at how that happens!

1. Lens Material = The material is the stuff the lens is made out of, typically some type of plastic since they don’t use glass anymore! You’ll hear the terms “high index” “poly carbonate” or “Trivex” and each has different benefits. The material used for your glasses depends on your prescription and your lifestyle as some materials aren’t appropriate for some prescriptions or ages.

2. Lens Design = The design determines how the prescription is ground on to the lens material. Depending on what you need (progressive, single vision, bi focal, etc) the doctor will recommend a particular lens design. Some designs are old, some are new. You may hear the word “digital” and they’ll say that is the best and the latest. Not all digital designs are the same. The lens laboratory may use the digital equipment, but the software is telling the machine to put an old design on the lens material, sort of like building a record player at the iPod factory! So be sure to ask about the lens design.

Certain designs are specific to a particular patient need. For instance you may remember our HOYA Twitter party when we discussed the Sync lens?  Sync is a “lens design” and it is tailored to the needs of people who consume hours and hours of digital media.

If you buy an expensive digital lens and they say it will be ready in an hour, be very suspicious! A good lens takes longer to make than an hour.

3. Lens Treatment = Ten years ago they didn’t have “treatments” it was called an “anti-glare coating.” And if you remember coatings from back then they weren’t very good. As the word “coating” implies it is a cover and it can come off!  Today the technology is much different and the benefits of anti-reflection, anti-glare, and scratch resistance are “baked” into the lenses, therefore the word “treatment” is used and what you’re buying is much more durable.

Different treatments have different benefits. We’ll be hosting a Twitter party on April 23, 2013 to talk about Recharge, a lens treatment from HOYA. The neat benefit with Recharge is it reflects blue light from your smart phone and tablet that can cause eye fatigue, blurred vision and headaches associated with Computer Vision Syndrome.

You’re buying a lot of stuff when you buy eyeglass lenses! Your local independent eye care provider will generally spend the time necessary to explain everything. Especially since the lenses in your eyeglasses are really a medical device and can be expensive. No matter where you go it’s important to ask questions about the lens materials, design and treatment. After all it is your vision!

FIND YOUR HOYA LENS PROVIDER NOW

And to help you take care of your vision even more, Hoya Lenses is generously sponsoring this giveaway with some amazing bloggers!

FOUR (4) will win in this multi prize Giveaway valued at $450!

(2) Will WIN FREE LENS Vouchers values at $200+ Each

(2) Will WIN a $25 AMEX Gift Card

Winners prizes are in order drawn.

Giveaway open to US ONLY, 18+.  Giveaway Ends May 6, 2013 at 11:59pm EST.  Mandatory entry is a comment on the blog you are entering on.  Please make sure you leave one!

Enter below and GOOD LUCK! [Read more...]