Choosing your Lenses
After choosing your frames, the next step to ordering
your glasses is to customize your lenses.
There are three steps that are required for your lenses:
1. Choosing your prescription type
2. Choosing your lens color
3. Choosing your lens index
What Is the Difference
Between the Prescription Types?
Single Vision
- Single vision glasses are the most common type of glasses, and work to correct either nearsighted or farsighted vision, but not both.
- Single vision (distance) glasses work by adjusting the spherical (SPH) strength in the entire prescription lens to create a clear image of items placed far away from you.
- Single vision (reading) glasses work by adjusting the spherical (SPH) strength in the entire prescription lens to create a clear image of items placed close to you.
But what if I have problems seeing objects far away and close up?
Bifocals
- You can of course decide to purchase two pairs of glasses, and switch them around. Or, many people decide this is a hassle and instead choose to purchase bifocal glasses, which allow you to see far away and close up with only one pair of glasses.
- Bifocal glasses are a convenient option because they allow a user to use the top portion of their glasses to see objects far away and the bottom half of their glasses to read.
- Bifocal glasses have a clear defined line on the lens to show which portion is for distance and which portion is for reading.
- There are a few different selections of bifocal glasses
- Flat Top/Straight Top - lenses with an upside down half moon shaped or sideways “D” shape
- Round Top - lenses with a round segment on the bottom of the lenses
- Executive Top - lenses with a full straight line across the bottom of the lenses
Progressives
- Also known as the “no-line bifocals”, progressive glasses are very similar to bifocals.
- Progressive lenses eliminate the visible line on the lenses that divides the distance portion from the reading portion.
- The main advantage of progressives glasses over bifocals is the seamless progression it provides for viewing distance and the top of the lenses and gradually shifting to computer or intermediate vision at the middle and gradually shifting to reading or near vision at the bottom of the lenses.
What is the Difference
Between Lens Colors?
Clear
Clear lenses are the standard lenses that you see. These glasses stay clear permanently regardless of any external factors.
Transition
Transition lenses are a special type of lens that are able to stay clear indoors but when you go outside and sunlight is present, the glasses start to tint and act as sunglasses.
The darkness of the tint depends on how strong the sun is. If it is partly cloudy, the glasses may only darken slightly, but if it is very sunny, then the glasses will darken more.
Tint
Tinted glasses permanently stay at the tint level and color you choose regardless of sunlight. At Choice Eyewear, we offer a range of colors and tint strengths for our customers to choose from.
- Solid tint - lenses are one solid color from top to bottom
- Gradient tint - lenses are darkest on top and gradually become lighter on bottom
- Polarized tint - specialized lenses that are one solid color from top to bottom and also help reduce light intensity and glare. Polarized tint is non-customizable with the darkness, it is about 80-90% dark.
What is the Difference
between Lens Index?
Standard 1.56 Index
- Standard lens thickness which is included for free for single vision glasses
- Standard lens thickness for bifocal glasses are $19.98
- Standard lens thickness for progressive glasses are $59.98
Polycarbonate/Impact 1.58 Index
- Impact resistance lenses that are thinner and stronger than our regular standard lenses
- Required for rimless glasses because rimless glasses are more prone to breakage without the the rim protection
Thin 1.61 Index
- Lenses are thinner than the standard 1.56 index
Thinner 1.67 Index
- Lenses are thinner than the thin 1.61 index
Thinnest 1.74 Index
- Our thinnest lens options available for certain prescriptions only, please call in if you have any questions