FAQs

Innovative prism glasses can significantly improve the vision and the daily lives of patients with hemianopia, a condition that blinds half the visual field in both eyes resulting from damage to the optic pathways in the brain. Most commonly caused by strokes, it can also be the result of brain damage from tumors or trauma.

If you need to get Prism Lenses, please check the “I Have A Prism Correction”.

You should have the number for your prism correction (.5, 1, 1.5, etc) and the Base Information (Base In, Base Out, Base Up or Base Down) on the prescription from your doctor.

There is an additional charge per each lens that requires a Prism Correction

Different Types of Prescription Lenses:

Depending on the needs of your eyes, the optician will use the following lenses.

Single vision lenses have only one viewing area throughout the lens. This corrected area can be for far distance, near distance or reading. Your glasses come with plastic high-index 1.56 lenses included. You can upgrade to a thinner and lighter lens for an additional charge.

High index lenses are used to make your lenses lighter and thinner. It doesn’t matter if they are single vision, bifocal or progressive. They are compressed lenses that offer better optical viewing through them. For higher prescriptions they not only reduce the weight by up to 50% but also reduce the thickness by up to 60% making them more attractive cosmetically.

1.56 index, 1.59 index, 1.61 index and 1.67 index. The higher the index, the thinner and lighter the lenses. We also offer 1.60 index Water Repellent/Anti Fog Lenses if you will be using your prescription eyeglasses in this type of environment.

Polycarbonate lenses are thinner and lighter than traditional plastic eyeglass lenses. They also offer 100 percent ultraviolet (UV) protection and are up to 10 times more impact-resistant than regular plastic lenses. This combination of lightweight comfort, UV protection and impact resistance makes polycarbonate lenses an excellent choice for children’s glasses, sports eyewear and safety glasses.

Polycarbonate lenses contain trace amounts of Bisphenol A (BpA). WARNING: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.

We highly recommend Polycarbonate Lenses for rimless glasses as they reduce the stress cracks that will eventually happen with these types of glasses.

Note: Polycarbonate lenses cannot be made with Sun Darkening lenses (transitional – darken outdoors).

Polycarbonate lenses can come in tints (permanent color), but they are usually lighter (50% dark) compared with non-polycarbonate lenses (up to 90% dark).

I use my glasses for….
By telling us what you will use these glasses for helps us to make sure that your lenses are made correctly.

Choosing Single Vision means that you need your glasses to drive, watch the TV or, in some cases, in order to see your computer screen or the dashboard on your car.

Choosing Reading mean s that you need glasses to read a menu, book, newspaper, or even see your watch clearly

Choosing Bifocal means that you have both Distance and Reading correction in the same pair of glasses. The top portion of the lens is for Distance and the bottom is for the Reading portion. The size of the each section is determined by the SEG Height. (The “line” in “lined bifocals”) We only sell Bifocals that have lines. If you want to get a multi-focal lens (with more than one correction) and you don’t want lines, you can choose a Progressive Lens.

Choosing Progressive, or no-line bifocals, are also used for both distance and reading correction in the same pair of glasses. The difference is that they have no line on them.

What are the lenses made of?

Sorry but no, we offer our lenses with our frames as a whole package.

Yes we offer both progressive and bifocal lenses. Here is a description of their differences:

Bifocal Lenses

Bifocals have two distinct viewing areas within the same lens; the distance area and the near area. The distance area in bifocals is designed like a single vision lens, while the near area contains the distance prescription and the additional amount of ADD power needed to see at a reading distance.

Bi-Focals have that light “line” just below the center-line of the lens that separate the distance upper part from the reading lower part of the lens. Bi- Focal lenses should have an absolute minimum of 27mm height, but we recommend a 32mm or greater lens height to make them comfortable.

Progressive Lenses

A Progressive lens is similar to a Bifocal Lens but has more than 2 corrections – and no lines. As you look through the lens from the top to bottom, you can see far to near. For example, you will be able to clearly see the freeway signs in the top, the dashboard in the middle, and the map through the bottom.

We use Flattop 28 for all our bifocal lenses. They have a line in them that differentiates between the top part for distance and the bottom part for reading.

We do not offer segmented (three sections with lines dividing them) Trifocal corrective lenses. We find that most people who move on from Bifocal prefer the Progressive Lenses.

Progressive Lenses

Progressive lenses correct vision for two or three different distances without the visible segment lines seen in bifocal or tri-focal lenses. Instead they have a graduated section in which the power of the lens progresses smoothly from one prescription to the other, allowing the wearer to see clearly at all distances.

Progressive, no-line bi-focal, lenses need to have an absolute minimum of 28mm height, but here again we recommend at least 32mm or higher lens for a more comfortable viewing area. Progressive glasses are the most sensitive to a correct PD so be sure to take an especially accurate PD measurement for this type of order. If the measurement is off here by ±1.5mm it is still OK.

Segment Height (SEG)

Using a multi-focal lens means that you have Distance and Reading (Near) in the same pair of glasses. The top portion of the lens is for Distance and the bottom is for the Reading portion.

The size of the each section is determined by the SEG Height. (The “line” in “lined bifocals”) (See more about this in the “Bifocal and Progressive Lenses” help bubble. In a progressive lens, the corrections changes from Distance to Reading as you look from the top to the bottom of the lens – however a SEG height is still used to define the reading portion.

This measurement has traditionally been determined at the Doctors office if you purchased your glasses there. The Doctor would ask you where you want the line to be and then measure the distance from the bottom of the glasses to that line – and then give that to the lab.

When buying glasses online, you don’t have a way to do that, as all frames are different shapes and heights. The way we take care of this is to take an average of the SEG height that most people use and then describe that as a percentage.

Normally, the division is 70% of the lens height for distance and 30% of the lens height for reading. But of course, you are very much welcome to inform us your preference in division. Some people prefer to have a larger reading area (maybe 60/40). This is called the SEG HEIGHT.

Technically, if your Optometrist is asking, we put the SEG at “the D line divided by two minus 2 mm”.

Please include a note in the comments box as you check out so that we know you would like the change.

Transition Zone is the area of progressive lenses where the distance vision curve gradually changes into the near-vision curve.

There is a short adaptation period when you are fitted with your first pair of progressive lenses, which can range from a few minutes to a few days. People with certain types of corrections, including strong plus (+) prescriptions (also called strong farsighted or high-hyperopic) prescriptions, tend to have more difficulty adapting to progressive lenses.

Yes there are limitations. Not all frames are suitable for Bifocals or Progressive. Bifocal lenses must have a minimum lens height of 27mm and Progressive lenses must have a minimum lens height of 28mm.

We want to make it easier for you to identify which frame can or can’t be done with Bifocal or Progressive by putting a check or cross mark on the description of the frame you are looking at. Also, if the curvature of the frame is too much, you will feel as though you are looking through a fun-house mirror. We aim to stay at a very average level of curvature for glasses in this category to help insure a good result.

Tints are permanent and DO NOT change in the sun. They also cannot be changed (lighter or darker) once they are made.

You do not need to choose a tint if you have already chosen a lens which will darken in the sun. (Sun Darkening also known as Photochromic or Transitional Lenses)

Anti-Scratch, Tuff Coat, and UV (Ultra-Violet)

We offer free basic Anti-Scratch and UV coating. You can upgrade to our “Tuff Coat” Coating if you like. It is much more resistant to scratches and we would recommend that you get it if you are in situations that your glasses might become easily scratched. 

Blue-light Blocker, Anti-Reflective

You can also order an Blue-light blocker and an anti-reflective coating. The Blue-light blocker coating is primarily for people who spend a lot of time at their computer. It is a 3-layer coating that combines UV, anti-scratch and anti-reflection coatings. 

The use of anti-reflective is a personal decision. Many people who need their glasses to drive at night find the anti-glare is very helpful as it reduces the halo effect around headlights, etc. 

Water-repellant and Anti-Fog Coating

These lenses have a special coating that helps to minimize the fog that forms on your glasses when going from cold to warm – outside to inside in the winter for example. It cannot be combined with color tints.

Yes, they are called Sun Darkening lenses. When you are indoors, the tint will be very light. And when you are outdoors, it will get dark depending on the direct exposure to sunlight. Please be advised that these lenses do not get as dark as a typical sunglasses and they also do not work in automobiles as they respond to Ultraviolet light, which is filtered out by the tint in automobile windows.

Yes! We suggest that you select of a frame of your choice and make sure to click on the ‘Tint’ option on the Details page. Currently, we offer yellow, purple, red, green and blue colors and light (10%), medium (50%), dark (90%).  With all these choices, you can really have some fun!!

Note: The thinner the lens, the harder it is to get the tint really dark. If you had a strong prescription for example, and you purchased a thinner lens, they would not be as dark as if you did not get the thinner lens – even with the same prescription strength.

No. Lenses are either photochromic, where the degree of the tint changes, or constant tint, depending on what you wish to have. The two features therefore, are incompatible and cannot be selected simultaneously.

Dark colors, such as brown, amber, and copper-colored lenses. These colors are best for bright conditions as they reduce glare best.

Glasses that filter active blue light from reaching your eyes in order to reduce exposure to the type of light that stimulates wakefulness. The benefits of these glasses are less digital eye strain.