Anti-Reflective Coating for Eyeglass Lenses

There are over 143 million adults in America who wear glasses. Many of these adults opt to have an anti-reflective coating applied to their lenses for a variety reasons. Anti-reflective coating not only improves the appearance of the glasses but also the vision seen through the lenses. Additional benefits of anti-reflective lenses include durability, heat resistance, aid in night driving, easy cleaning, and resistance to scratches.

Why Buy Anti-Reflective Coating

The traditional plastic lens typically used in glasses transmits around 90% of light to the eyes; the remaining 10% of light is lost to surface reflections. The anti-reflective coating was first created to reduce reflections on camera lenses. Now it is what is also used on eyeglasses. Anti-reflective coating is an optical coating that is applied to the surface of a lens to improve efficiency where light would typically be lost due to reflections. By transmitting more light, anti-reflective coating provides decreased glare from a computer screen, reduced eye strain, and lessens overhead glare. When wearing glasses with an anti-reflective coating, you will see more crisply and clearly than is possible with lenses that are uncoated.

About Anti-Reflective Coating

The highest quality anti-reflective coating has a hydrophobic, or water-resistant, layer that is made to prevent water spots from developing on the lens and also makes them much easier to clean. Some anti-reflective coatings also have an oleophobic, or oil-resistant, layer that resists oil from the skin and once again makes it easier to clean smudges off of the lenses.

Today, anti-reflective coatings have even become very popular with sunglasses. When applied to the backside of the sunglass lenses, anti-reflective coating reduces the reflections of the sunlight into the eyes when the sun is coming in from behind.

Should You Buy Anti-Reflective Coating

There are many reasons why an anti-reflective coating is added to the lenses of a pair of glasses or sunglasses. This coating is often chosen for appearance, as it improves transparency and reduces the reflections in the glasses. The anti-reflective coating on lenses makes it easier for a glasses wearer to have direct eye contact with someone else without all of the distractions of reflections.

The anti-reflective coating helps improve driving safety, especially at night, by eliminating distracting headlights and streetlights. This allows drivers to focus more on the road.

Also, while working, the unnatural and artificial lights found in many offices can quickly cause eye fatigue. Using a computer likewise puts great strain on the eyes. Having an anti-reflective coating applied to lenses will help to protect the eyes while working.

Last but not least, an anti-reflective coating on a lens enhances the quality of a lens and also lengthens its lifetime by providing durability and resistance to water, dirt, and scratches.

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