Buying prescription glasses may seem relatively simple: just get a prescription from your optometrist and choose the frames you want. However, it's more complicated than that. Frame material alone is something to look into, especially if you feel you're clumsy and want something durable, are looking for a material that's lightweight and comfortable to wear, or want frames made from sustainable sources.
The same goes for lenses. Though the type of lenses you get will depend on your prescription, like single-vision lenses for astigmatism and bifocals for people who are both nearsighted and farsighted, you can choose the coatings that go on them based on what you need your glasses to do. Yes, they'll be additional costs on top of the glasses themselves—but if they'll really help you, they can be a worthy investment that enables you to get the most out of your new prescription specs.
Want to look into your options? Here are a few of the most common lens coatings you can consider investing in.
Anti-reflective coatings
This is the jack-of-all-trades of lens coatings. As their name suggests, anti-reflective coatings block out excess glare from reflective surfaces like water, snow, and glass to improve visual clarity. They thus come especially in handy for driving at night. But that's not all: these coatings are often also dirt-, oil-, and water-resistant, making your glasses both easy to clean and maintain for longer. That means these coatings can keep you safe while simultaneously prolonging the lifespan of the glasses you buy—making them worth every penny!
Blue light coatings
Blue light primarily comes from the sun, but you can also expose yourself to it from artificial sources. However, your eyes can absorb too much if your screen time exceeds eight hours a day. That can cause computer vision syndrome, which manifests through headaches, blurry vision, and irritated or painful eyes. Glasses with blue light coatings, such as those that use BlueReflect™ and BlueReflect Plus™ lenses, can shield you from excess blue light that can, in the long run, also damage your retina and cause conditions like cataracts. At the same time, they'll make it more comfortable to work long hours in front of screens when needed. Given the long-term protective health benefits they provide, these coatings are definitely worth the investment—especially if you rely on computers for work or school.
UV coatings
If you drive often during the day or are simply outdoors a lot, it's worth getting a protective UV tint on your glasses. That's especially true since it can be inconvenient to wear separate or clip-on sunglasses on top of your prescription glasses: you might lose or forget to bring one or the other, or simply find it a hassle to keep lifting sunglasses and putting them back on between uses. That's where prescription sunglasses come in. These are basically prescription glasses with a UV coating that are easy to use while providing the protections normal sunglasses offer. That includes protection against UV rays, as overexposure can cause issues like eye sunburn as well as vision loss-causing conditions like cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
Photochromic coatings
If you're a regular glasses wearer who wants UV protection without splurging on UV coatings, you may want to try these instead. Glasses with photochromic coatings, more popularly known as Transitions® lenses, darken to the right tint during the day and stay clear at night and when you're indoors. Since you can't control how quickly they transition from clear to dark once you head outdoors, they don't provide as much UV protection as prescription sunglasses. They're also temperature-sensitive and may take longer to transition in colder months. However, they're an effective option that provides both visual clarity and UV protection. They may also be the more cost-efficient choice depending on your budget and personal preferences.
Buying prescription glasses can be challenging, especially when it comes to deciding which lens coatings are worth investing in. Hopefully, this guide helps you pick one that's best suited for your needs!
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