Spectacle Lenses

Not all lenses are created equal! Have you ever wondered why your peripheral vision is so distorted with your progressive lenses, been disappointed by how easily they scratched, or annoyed at how difficult they are to keep clean?  It doesn't have to be this way!  We avoid these problems by using lenses from the best lens manufacturers in the world - Essilor, Hoya and Carl Zeiss.  Their research and high-quality manufacturing processes produce lenses with wider fields of vision, and tougher, easier to clean coatings.  

In a great piece of news, we are now able to offer a 1 YEAR WARRANTY against lens scratching with all Essilor Crizal Sapphire HR, Crizal Rock, and Crizal Prevencia lenses.  Check out our blog for details.

  

Single Vision Lenses

These are used for reading or distance corrections and have the same prescription power across the whole lens area. They give the wearer a wide field of view, but are not very versatile - they only do one thing but do it well.  The optical quality of a single vision lens can be improved by using aspheric lens technology. 

 

Bifocal Lenses

These lenses combine two prescription powers within the the same lens, separated by a visible dividing line.  This allows clear vision at two distances - usually far distance and reading.  The disadvantage of bifocals is that they are poor at giving clarity in between the two areas of focus, often meaning that computer or piano vision cannot be seen clearly.   

Progressive Lenses

These lenses are also known as Varifocals, or Multifocals.  Like bifocals, progressive lenses provide both reading and distance vision in the one lens. Unlike the bifocal there is no visible dividing line, as the reading and distance parts of the lens are blended together in a smooth transition. The advantage of this is that the blended mid-zone of the lens provides an intermediate focus which is ideal for computer use. Progressive lenses inevitably have some distortion in the periphery of the lens.  This can be greatly reduced by good lens design and the modern "Freeform" method of manufacture, which allows a level of customisation of lenses that was not possible even 5 years ago.

At Cassidy Eyecare we recommend the Varilux range of progressive lenses for comfortable vision at all distances.

Occupational Lenses

Best thought of as a cross between single vision and progressive lenses, these are best suited to people who spend a lot of time at a desk.  They give a wide field of vision, while also allowing a greater range of focus than a SV lens.

 

Thin & Light Lenses

Lens thickness and weight can be reduced by using higher grades of lens material.  If you have a moderate or high prescription this is highly recommended.

 

Anti-Reflective Coatings

These coatings almost eliminate light reflection off your spectacles, allowing clearer, more comfortable vision and a superior cosmetic appearance.  As with progressive lens technology, anti-reflective coating quality makes a huge difference to how these coatings perform.  Inferior coatings will scratch easily and constantly smudge.  Superior coatings, such as Hoya's Diamond Finish and Essilor's Crizal Sapphire HR, are clear, durable, easy to clean and 100% UV blocking. 

Crizal Sapphire HR gives the ultimate transparent and non-reflective finish.  Crizal Prevencia is an innovative coating which blocks harmful blue light, which can cause the development of macular degeneration and cataracts.  Both Crizal Sapphire HR and Crizal Prevencia coated lenses also offer the benefit of our 1 year warranty against scratches.

 

Photochromic Lenses

Often known as Transitions, these lenses automatically darken and lighten in sunlight.  It is UV light that causes them to darken, so they won't change colour under fluorescent lights or while you're in front of your computer.  These lenses are very popular, and do make your glasses more versatile.  Be aware, however, that they won't darken fully while you are driving as the windscreen of your car blocks most UV light.

 

Prescription Sunglasses

If you wear glasses full-time, it's worth considering getting a pair of these.  We can tint your prescription lenses and glaze them into a sunglass frame, so they look just like a normal pair of sunglasses.  People LOVE these.  At Cassidy Eyecare, we strongly recommend polarised prescription sunglass lenses which are very effective at taking out reflected glare, ie off a wet road or the sea. 

 

Glass Spectacle Lenses

Glass lenses have fallen out of favour with the advent of high quality polymers to make lighter, more easily worked plastic lenses, and good scratch-resistant coatings to protect them.  However some people just love the unbeatable scratch resistance and clarity of glass.  If that's you, we can help!  Despite what you may hear from some of the optical chains, glass lenses are still available and we work with an excellent local lab to get them made quickly and accurately.