What Lens Coating to pick?

What is lens coating?
Your eyeglasses are likely to endure a few mishaps throughout their lifetime. Be it scratches, dust, or other damage, most glasses will grow weary over time. Lens coating helps to protect your lenses against scratches and extend their lifetime.

With a wide selection of coatings available, it can be hard to figure out which one is the best for you. Our opticians can help you navigate through the options and find the right fit for you. With over 20-years of experience, we can help you find the best coating for your glasses.

What is the best coating for eyeglasses?
You can choose between the anti-reflective coating, which is good for driving at night and spending long hours at the computer as it reduces annoying reflections; the scratch-resistant coating – a great option to protect your glasses; or the anti-fog coating to see clearly when going from cold to warm. Today’s modern lens coating even includes a blue UV light filter to protect your eyes when working on a computer screen for long hours.

What is an anti-reflective coating on lenses?
Anti-reflective coating – also referred to as an AR coating or anti-glare coating – is a thin multilayer coating that eliminates reflections from the front and back surface of eyeglass lenses.The AR coating provides you with a better vision for night driving and computer use. It reduces eye strain and also makes your glasses look better as they become nearly invisible.

With less reflection, more light passes through your lenses, which means less distraction for your eyes. Today’s modern coatings are so effective in eliminating light reflection that they allow 99.5% of the light pass-through the lens and into your eye. The benefits are many: a sharper vision with less glare when driving at night, and more comfort when staring at a computer screen for hours.

We recommend AR coating for all eyeglass lenses, and particularly for polycarbonate and high-index lenses, as they reflect more light than regular glass or plastic lenses. We also recommend anti-reflective coating for aspheric lenses. With flatter curves than regular lenses, the reflection is higher. AR is also useful in eliminating the ‘bounce-back’ reflection on sunglasses and improving the light transmission of photochromic lenses for night driving.

What are scratch-resistant coatings?
Lenses with anti-scratch coating are treated front and back with a scratch-resistant coating. With a harder surface, they become more resistant to scratching when falling on the floor or if accidentally cleaned with scratchy paper. However, it is worth knowing that this is not a scratch-proof solution. It merely makes your glasses more scratch-resistant.

Scratch-resistant coatings also make your glasses more durable. This is especially beneficial for kids and for those that want very durable glasses.

Most eyeglasses today come with a built-in scratch-resistant coating. However, it is always worth asking your optician whether your glasses include one.

What are anti-fog coatings?
The anti-fog coating is added to the lenses before cutting and fitting into the frame. It prevents fog from appearing on your glasses when leaving cold and entering warmth, allowing your lenses – and vision – to stay clear.

Lens fogging occurs when the lenses are much cooler than the air temperature. This is a common problem for people living in cold climates when entering inside from the outdoor cold. We recommend the anti-fog coating for those working in dangerous situations such as police officers and first responders. It’s also a popular choice for people who do sports, as eyeglasses often get foggy when sweating.

What are UV coatings?
Much like sunscreen blocks unwanted and harmful UV rays, ultraviolet treatment blocks the rays from damaging your eyes. An invisible dye is added to the eyeglass lenses to coat them.

All regular plastic lenses need to have UV coating applied to block the UV; it will not change the lenses’ colour. Some lenses, such as polycarbonate and other high-index lenses, include integrated UV protection and do not need any UV-coatings.

UV-coated eyeglasses are growing in popularity as more people are becoming aware of the danger of sunlight exposure. Too much exposure to ultraviolet light can cause cataracts, macular degeneration, pterygium, and cancer. The sun doesn’t have to be shining for harmful ultraviolet rays to damage your eyes; UV rays shine through clouds and reflect off sand, water, snow, and buildings.

Which coating to get?
Our opticians are ready to help you choose the right coating for your eyeglasses. Drop by our offices in Brampton or Mississauga for a chat or book an appointment today!