Lens Materials
Southcoast Optical offers many different lens materials. The material you choose for your eyeglasses is based on comfort, durability, weight and safety factors. The knowledgeable staff at can help you with this decision and ensure the eyeglasses you decide on are just right for you.
- Glass - The original lens material. Rigid. Scratch resistant. Heavy.
- Plastic - Approximately 50% lighter in weight than glass in same power prescriptions. Lenses are coated to improve scratch resistance. Can be tinted to any color with uniform density and coated to filter ultraviolet light.
- Polycarbonate - The lightest material available. The most impact resistant, strongest and safest material. Coated to improve scratch resistance. Absorbs 99% of ultraviolet light. Up to 25% thinner and 35% lighter than plastic. Recommended for children, when safety is the major concern.
- Tec-Lite: 1.57, 1.60, 1.66 - Thinnest lens materials available. Designed to minimize thickness and improve the cosmetic effect of the glasses Scratch resistant coated. UV protection is inherent in this lens material.
Lens Types
- Polarized - Polarized sunglass lenses are tinted lenses that block vertical light from hitting your eye and causing eye strain. Polarized lenses function similar to window blinds with horizontal slats when open. Polarized lenses block the vertical light that tries to enter your eye from down below or up above, and it only allow the horizontal light to pass through the lens. Any surface can create glare including water, sand, snow, windows, vehicles, and buildings. Polarized lenses ease eye stress and fatigue in the sun, and polarized lenses are available in many colors and density options.
- Transition - Transition lenses automatically darken to a moderate shade when they are exposed to direct sunlight. When the direct sunlight is removed, the lenses lighten again. Early transition were strictly glass lenses, but today you can choose from regular plastic, polycarbonate and high-index glass and plastic. Most transition lenses are grey, but they are also available in brown, green, and other colors.
- Anti-Reflective coating - You can also get your lenses with an Anti-Reflective coating that reduces the amount of glare you see and improves your driving ability at night.
We recommend all lenses be coated with Essilor's new Crizal Alizé anti-reflection coating. It is 10 times easier to clean than standard anti-reflective lenses and offers outstanding clarity and scratch-resistance. Crizal Alizé is available on a wide variety of lens materials and designs, including Varilux progressives such as the Physio. Our staff would be happy to answer any further questions and show you lenses coated with Crizal Alizé, letting you compare then to traditional anti-reflective coated lenses for yourself.
