Thin to Win (prescription lens thickness explained)

plastic lens, polycarbonate lens, hi index 1.67 lens

If you have worn prescription glasses for a number of years, you probably know that lenses come in different thicknesses. But how do they work? When should I consider a different lens material? Are there any drawbacks or complications with thinner lenses?

The three lens materials most often used are plastic (cr29), polycarbonate, and hi index 1.67. All three of are pictured here.

Materials have the potential to bend (refract) light. The tighter the molecules are compacted the more efficient the material bends light. So, if you are a person with a high prescription (+-2.5), it would be time to consider a thinner lens.

(+) lenses are thicker in the middle and thinner at the edges. (–) lenses are thicker on the edges and thinnest in the middle. The lenses in the picture are (–) lenses. People that are near sighted wear (-) lenses, and people that are far sighted wear (+) lenses.

The least expensive lenses are plastic lenses. They are the thickest and easiest to scratch. At Dollar Eye Club we include a pair of plastic prescription lenses with each pair of frames. I almost always recommend an upgrade to polycarbonate lenses for several reasons. We only charge $20 more, and the lenses are 20% thinner and are more scratch resistant than the plastic (cr39) lenses.

Only when a patient’s glasses prescription gets above +-4 would I possibly recommend the hi index 1.67. The Dollar Eye Club price is just $50 more for the 1.67 lenses. These lenses can get very pricey at doctor’s offices and other eyeglass stores.

To recap the pricing issue, Dollar Eye Club only charges $39 for a single plastic lens, $59 for a single vision polycarbonate lens, and just $89 for a single vision 1.67 hi index lens. #prescriptioneyglasses #prescriptioneyewear #DollarEyeClub #prescriptionlenses