We know that lenses help you achieve exceptionally sharp vision. But annoying reflections from the surface of your lenses can reduce the quality of your vision while also making your lenses appear more conspicuous to others. Distracting surface reflections interfere with vision and serve as “visual noise” that degrades visual clarity, particularly in low-light conditions such as night driving. Uncoated eyeglass lenses are also susceptible to scratching from cleaning or normal wear and tear, which can compromise your vision quality. In fact approximately 8% of light is reflected from the surface, which means 92% of the light is used for critical vision. 

Anti-reflective coating technology was developed to address these issues, and it continues to develop to provide clearer, more durable lens coatings.

However there are many additional layers to an anti-reflective coating which helps it's performance, and it is these invisible layers which make anti-reflection coatings either a nightmare or a dream. I have separated the layers below to allow you to appreciate what is involved in the best anti-reflection coatings, such as Essilor Crizal UV Forte or the Zeiss Purecoat Plus. Cheaper lenses will obviously omit certain layers and it is up to individual lens manufacturer to decide what to compromise on to keep the cost low for the consumer. 

Anti-reflective Technology
Lenses without anti-reflective technology reflect a significant amount of light. Surface reflections from lenses can distract the wearer and even interfere with vision, particularly in low-light conditions like night driving or when performing intensive visual tasks like computer use. The anti-reflective technology helps reduce reflections to less than 1% of the incident light — compared with 7% to 13% for uncoated lenses.

Scratch-resistant Technology
Plastic lenses help make glasses lighter and more comfortable, but they’re much more prone to scratches than glass lenses. The scratch resistant technology varies depending on the lens manufacturer with some lenses easier to scratch than others. This technology helps keep lenses from developing scratches from cleaning and normal wear and tear. Certain coatings ,such as the Crizal UV Forte, now come with a 2 year anti-scratch guarantee.

Anti-static Technology
Dirt and dust can cling to traditional untreated lenses, reducing vision quality and leading to scratches when cleaning. The anti-static element in premium coatings helps repel contaminants like dust and debris.

Hydrophobic and Oleophobic Technology
Grease, water, and oil will more readily slide off the surface of lenses treated with this super-slick coating, so the lenses are easier to clean and stay clean longer.

UV Blocking Technology
We all know UV can damage our skin. But what about our eyes? UV can seriously damage your vision.
Normal UV protection helps shield your eyes from rays that pass through the front of your glasses. Essilor's Crizal UV Forte goes further, protecting your eyes from UV light reflected off the back surface of your lenses too.

If you thought that you could only correct your vision by wearing contact lenses during the day think again.

Orthokeratology allows correction of up to -4.50 diopters of myopia (short-sightedness) by wearing a specially designed contact lens overnight and removing it once awake. Yes you read it right REMOVE the lens on waking. The contact lens temporarily redistributes the outer surface cells of the cornea therefore correcting vision so you to see with total freedom from contact lenses and spectacles.

Orthokeratology is also thought to help reduce myopia progression, so for children it not only gives them freedom from spectacles and contact lenses, it also helps to reduce the rate of deterioration.

If you would like more information on this click on the OrthoK link on our website or call us on 01279 757767. We will be happy to help.

This Christmas when you are planning your meals, or enjoying them, think about how they are affecting your eyes. Don't leave it until New Years Day to start eating healthy because you can be naughty and nice!

We frequently take our eyes for granted, but these are highly specialised organs that require careful maintenance to operate at their optimal capacity. While eye tests and vision correction
products play key roles In this process, the foods we eat can also be greatly beneficial.

Studies around the world have emphasised that a healthy lifestyle combined with healthy eating can reduce the prevalence of cataracts, while carbohydrate-high, vitamin-low diets directly increase this risk.

Similarly, a carefully balanced diet helps to counteract age-related macular degeneration, or AMD. This is the leading cause of registered blindness in the western world, but can be halted and even partly reversed through prompt diagnosis and positive lifestyle choices. Research has established that obesity can double the risk of developing some common causes of blindness, including AMD. Although our retinas naturally weaken over time excess body weight can dramatically speed up the onset of AMD, giving us yet another reason to consider what we eat and how it might affect our bodies.

For many years, the focus on diet and its impact on our vision have concentrated on vitamins A, C and E. Numerous scientific studies and clinical trials have shown that these three ingredients help to maintain healthy cells and tissues in our eyes, even assisting with our tear functions and reducing the symptoms of dry eyes. Should your diet not lend itself to a regular intake of fresh produce, nutritional supplements can top up many missing vitamins and minerals although use of these supplements should ideally be approved by your GP.

So when you have the turkey add lots of vegetables to the mix and start protecting your eyes now!


Merry Christmas

Spectacles are an integral component of daily life for many people. While contact lenses are an increasingly popular and user-friendly alternative, the simplicity and convenience of spectacles ensures they're still the default option for vision correction.

Lens technology has evolved greatly in recent years and it's now easy to buy spectacles that can block UV light, or prevent the build-up of grease and dirt with oil-resistant films. Much of this sophistication involves transparent chemical coatings applied to the lens and performing specialised duties such as preventing reflections. This concept was developed from the late 19th century onwards, with a major breakthrough occurring in the 1930s when scientists began combining thin layers of film that refract light at different angles, virtually eliminating reflectiveness.

The attendant benefits are particularly pertinent today with glare being alleviated from computer screens and mobile devices, while motorists benefit by avoiding dazzle from oncoming vehicles or street lights when travelling at night.

Nowadays, anti-reflective coatings are fairly standard on spectacles, and they are increasingly being augmented by scratch-resistant technology. It is worth noting that lens materials are far more robust nowadays, and the plastic commonly used in their manufacture has intrinsic scratch-resistant properties. Sporting or shatter-proof lenses typically utilise polycarbonate materials, whose softer composition relies on scratch-resistant coatings for durability.

As many spectacle wearers will testify, acute fogging can be caused by rapid changes in temperature or ambient conditions. Using technology pioneered by NASA and now available at Martin Reynolds Opticians, anti-fog systems prevent the build-up of condensation.

You can speak to our Dispensing Team about these coatings following your appointment. Call the practice on 01279 757767 to book an appointment.