Lens Information

SmartBuyGlasses Buying Guide

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Prescription Lenses Types
Lens Materials
Lens Extras/Coatings
Colour
Transitions
Prescription Sunglasses

We offer 3 basic types of prescription lenses for glasses:
- Distance
  Distance lenses are worn by people who cannot see objects clearly in the distance. This type of prescription is usually worn for driving, cinema, sports and other outdoor activities.
- Reading
  If you need optical correction for looking at material close-up, such as reading, typing, and working at the desk, then you require reading lenses.
- Plano (No Prescription)
  Plano lenses do not contain a corrective prescription. They are used purely for fashion purposes. Plano lenses offer the same benefits as our normal prescription lenses, including 100% UV protection.
We can only offer single vision lenses as extra measurements are required and they have to be taken with the frame on the face of the wearer by an eye care professional. Because of this, we cannot provide bifocals, trifocals, extended readers or progressive/multifocal lenses online.

Reminder: Your eyes should be checked annually by an eyecare professional. If you notice any changes in your vision or eye health you should consult your eyecare professional as soon as possible.
We offer various types of plastic lens materials to suit different prescriptions and frames. All of the lenses that we offer are plastic, we do not sell glass lenses. Please note that the higher the refractive index number, the thinner and lighter the lens will be.
- Refractive Index 1.50
  This is our basic lens material. This material is slightly thinner and lighter in weight than standard CR39 (1.498) lenses. It is suitable for lower prescriptions and full rimmed frames. This material is not recommended for rimless and semi-rimless frames.
- Refractive Index 1.61
  This material is thinner and lighter than the 1.56 material so is suited to higher/stronger prescriptions. This material is also ideal for rimless and semi-rimless frames as it is extremely strong and durable.
- Refractive Index 1.67
  This material is even thinner and lighter than the 1.61 material so is suited to even higher/stronger prescriptions to avoid thick, heavy lenses. This material is also ideal for rimless and semi-rimless frames as it is extremely strong and durable.
- Refractive Index 1.74
  This material is the thinnest plastic lens material available so it is suited to very high prescriptions. This material is also ideal for rimless and semi-rimless frames as it is extremely strong and durable.
- Scratch resistant
  All of our plastic lenses come with a scratch resistant coating as standard on both sides of the lens. This coating is designed to reduce every day wear and tear to prolong the life of your glasses. Please note: a scratch resistant coating is not completely scratch proof but it is much more resilient to scratches than an uncoated lens. It can still be scratched if treated roughly.
- UV protection
  Our plastic lenses offer 100% UV protection to protect your eyes from harmful ultra-violet rays.
- Anti-reflective
  An anti-reflective coating dramatically reduces surface reflections from artificial lights.
  These reflections can interfere with the vision of the wearer as reflections reduce the clarity of the lenses. This coating is recommended for indoor use and also for night time driving. An anti-reflective coating produces extremely clear lenses so the lenses appear almost invisible.
- Tinted Lenses
  Tinted lenses can reduce glare when driving, or enhance your appearance. Unlike transition lenses, the colour of a tinted lens will remain the same at all times. Lighter tints like pink are used for fashion purposes, whereas darker tints such as grey or brown can be used to provide sunglass protection. A yellow tint can be good for night time driving. If you are light sensitive, then grey is recommended as it is very neutral. Brown gives the wearer a better contrast between colours, and so is suitable for wearers who like to play golf and tennis. Please see our tint color chart for the many options on offer. You can choose from a choice of 24 tints. We also offer a lens color matching service where the colour of your new prescription lenses matches the original colour of the designer sunglasses lens.
- Polarized Lenses
  Polarized lenses are used to reduce glare from reflective surfaces such as the surface of the water or dash of a car by filtering out reflected light. Polarized lenses are suitable for wearers who enjoy outdoor sports, fishing or driving. Our polarized lenses are available in grey and brown.
- Transition Lenses
  Transition lenses are also known as photochromic lenses. They stay clear at night and when the wearer is indoors. Transition lenses will automatically change their level of tint according to the light conditions outdoors when exposed to UV light. This kind of lens helps the wearer enjoy life in different light conditions. The transition lenses we offer are available in grey and brown.
Designer Sunglasses with two separate lenses can be made with prescription lenses. Please note that this depends on your prescription and design of the frame. Not all models can be fitted with prescription lenses. A frame that may be suitable for one patient may not work for another.

Lens Information

SmartBuyGlasses Buying Guide

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