A Guide to Lens Types

Select a lens type like one of the ones below to help address your lifestyle goals. Here are some special tints, filters, and coatings that may be available from your eye care provider.

Posted July 20, 2023

Anti-Reflective Coating

Reduces reflective light by eliminating reflections from both sides of the lens, which can enhance comfort, reduces eye strain and improves the cosmetic appearance of your eyeglasses.¹

Blue Light Filtering

Reduces the amount of blue light that reaches the eye, which can help minimize digital eye strain and improve sleep quality by blocking or absorbing blue light and UV light from screens.²

Digital Single Vision Lenses

Improves single viewing distance across the entire surface of the lens by either diverging or converging light rays to correct for nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.³

High-Index Lenses

Made of materials that bend light more efficiently than traditional glass or plastic lenses, making them thinner and lighter.⁴

Lens Color Tint

Designed to enhance contrast and reduce glare while also helping with color perception to improve visual comfort in bright light.⁵

Photochromic Lenses (Transitions^®)

Changes color depending on the amount of UV or artificial light.⁶

Polarized Lenses

Reduces glare from surfaces such as water, snow, and glass. Can improve visual clarity and comfort.⁷

Polycarbonate Lenses

Thinner and lighter than regular plastic lenses and more impact resistant. Ideal for sports and children’s eyewear.⁴

Progressive Lenses

Corrects age-related farsightedness and provides a smooth transition from distance vision to near vision without the visible line found in bifocal lenses.⁸

Scratch-Resistant Coating

Protects eyeglass lenses from scratches and other damage caused by everyday wear and tear.⁹

Trifocal Lenses

Lenses that have three different lens powers for distance, intermediate and near vision.¹⁰

Trivex Lenses

Lenses that are lightweight, impact resistant and provide sharp vision.¹¹

Ultraviolet Coating

Protects eyes from harmful UV rays.⁹

Sources

Ayaga, V. (Feb. 1, 2023). Are Anti-Glare Coatings Worth it? Pros, Cons & Costs. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
Lenses For Harmful Blue Light Protection. (Dec. 2022). Essilor. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
Penczek, M. (Mar. 1, 2021). How Single Vision Lenses Work. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
Polycarbonate Vs. High-Index Lenses: Which Is Better? (Nov. 17, 2022). Retrieved April 21, 2023.
Eldridge, M. (Aug 10, 2022). How Do You Choose the Best Lens Tint? Retrieved April 24, 2023.
Transitions. How Do Photochromics Work? Retrieved April 24, 2023.
Morgan, E. (Feb. 27, 2019). Are Polarized Sunglasses Right for You? Retrieved April 24, 2023.
Heiting, G. (Feb. 14, 2019). Progressive Lenses: No-Line Multifocals For a Younger You. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
Branch, J. (May 2, 2022). What You Need to Know About Eyeglass Lens Coatings. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
Heiting, G. (Feb. 27, 2019). Bifocals And Trifocals: Solutions For “Short Arms”. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
Heiting, G. (Feb. 27, 2019). Polycarbonate vs. Trivex Eyeglass Lenses. Retrieved April 24, 2023.