Eyeglasses: Much More Than Just An Optical Tool!
In present times, eyeglasses find a place in the wardrobes of a significant section of the global population. This can be attributed to two major reasons. Firstly, eyeglasses are no longer just an eyesight correction instrument but perform various other functions too. Secondly, they are now recognised as a staple fashion accessory and that’s mainly the reason why non-prescription glasses are selling like hotcakes.
The multifunctional eyeglasses may have something to offer you as well. In this writeup, we have classified eyeglasses into different types based on the functions that they perform. Read on to know whether you need a pair for any of these functions. If not, you will definitely need them for your style needs.
Single Vision Glasses
Single vision glasses come fitted with prescription lenses. These prescription lenses only correct vision at one specific distance (either near or far). These are also the most common type of eyeglasses.
Single vision glasses are most likely prescribed to those who have nearsightedness, farsightedness, or even astigmatism. It is to be noted that both the lenses in single vision glasses may have the same prescription or can even vary.
Fake Glasses
Fake glasses are non-prescription glasses that owe their popularity to the fact that glasses are one of the most sought-after fashion accessories today. Used solely as a fashion accessory, fake glasses are pairs that you can opt for if you need glasses just for your style needs.
Blue Light Blocking Glasses
Blue light blocking glasses, also known as computer glasses, are a big thing in this digital modern era. Digital screens are an intrinsic part of our daily life today. In some cases, it cannot be replaced as most of us rely on it to get even some of our necessary things done. With things like online classes and work from home becoming very common, their utility has only increased further.
One of the fallouts of digitalisation is unhealthy screen time for a significant section of the public. A high screen time is problematic for the health of our eyes as it is associated with digital eye strain, and can also cause problems like headaches, fatigue, etc. It is the excessive exposure to blue light emitted from digital screens that are responsible for such problems.
The use of blue light blocking glasses while using a digital screen is an effective preventive measure to tackle the adverse effects of blue light. To prevent blue light from striking our eyes, the lenses of these pairs come loaded with a protective coating that filters out the blue light incident over their surface.
Anti-glare Glasses
On striking various obstacles, light rays that are reflected horizontally are responsible for causing glare. Although glare can be experienced anytime, glare is very common in outdoor environments during activities like sports, driving, and fishing, among others.
Glare might hinder your vision, and anti-glare glasses are what you need to deal with it – thanks to anti-reflective coating. The function of the anti-reflective coating applied over the lenses of these glasses is to filter out the reflected light rays that cause glare.
Reading Glasses
If you are struggling with reading things close-up, there are high chances that you need reading glasses. The function of the lenses fitted into these pairs is to magnify the texts of books and make reading more convenient.
There are two types of reading glasses – ready readers and prescription reading glasses. While prescription reading glasses come with prescription and can be customised as per the individual’s needs, ready readers are of standard strengths – ranging mainly from +1.0 to +4.0 – and follow a one-size-fits-all approach. In the case of ready readers, the strength of both lenses is the same.
Sunglasses
Everyone requires UV protection for their eyes, making sunglasses a daily essential. A pair of sunglasses can help you eliminate all sorts of risks posed to your eyes that are associated with exposure to UV rays. Just ensure that you look for pairs that provide 100% UV protection, which is made possible by lenses that protect from both UVA and UVB rays.
Apart from the much-needed function of UV protection, sunglasses also stand out with their amazing style component. There are multiple stylish options for every occasion, face shape, and outfit. So whenever you step out in outdoor sunny conditions, do remember to put on your sunnies to beat the UV rays in style.
Varifocals
Also known as progressive lenses, varifocals are an advancement of the bifocals. Their advanced nature comes from the fact that they provide eyesight correction for both nearsightedness and farsightedness, and anything in between. This is made possible by using three different visibility zones on the lens surface – namely, near, far, and intermediate.
The design of varifocals ensures a smooth transition in your vision when you switch the focus of your eyes between objects placed at different distances. However, in the case of bifocals that only have two focal points, you might encounter abrupt transitions at times.
The visual appeal is another area where the bifocals and varifocals vary. The boundaries separating the different visibility zones are not visible to the naked eye in the case of varifocal lenses, imparting them the appearance of any normal lens. This is not the case when it comes to bifocals as the boundaries are visible to the naked eye.
Transitions
Glasses fitted with transition lenses have an outstanding utility as they can be used both as glasses and sunglasses. And the best part is that you don’t have to do anything as you switch between indoor and outdoor spaces. Just put them on and these pairs will transition automatically from glasses to sunglasses once UV rays strike them, and return to their normal clear appearance in the absence of UV rays.
The photochromic dyes that are applied on the surface of transition lenses are what make them sensitive to UV rays. When exposed to UV rays, the UV protection function of these lenses gets activated and they transform into sunglasses in an instant, along with taking on a dark appearance. The extent to which these lenses darken varies proportionally with the intensity of UV rays incident on their surface.
We have listed down the different types of eyeglasses so that you can make an informed purchase whenever the need arises. Go ahead and add them to your wardrobes as per your needs – whether it is for function or style.
