Traditional vs. Digital Eyeglass Lenses: What’s The Difference?
Knowing the differences between traditional and digital eyeglass lenses will definitely help you make an informed decision about which option is best for you.
Choosing between traditional vs. digital eyeglass lenses could be a tough call, but you have to know the difference before making a proper judgment.
Apparently, digital lenses are one of the most important innovations in the world of prescription glasses.
Many people have experienced how much of an improvement digital lenses are compared to the traditional ones. This has led many people to switch from their old glasses to this new variety.
If you want to improve the experience of wearing glasses and the current ones happen to be the traditional type, you can consider upgrading.
Are these glasses suitable for everyone?
Digital lenses come in many variants, like high index and single vision. Anyone with a vision problem should be eligible for this type of prescription glasses.
Digital lenses are also very lightweight, which further improves user experience.
One of the problems with older glasses is they can put so much weight on the nose and it’s very uncomfortable. It’s not just uncomfortable, but downright torturing when worn for an extended period of time.
New lenses regardless of the strength of the prescription manage to appear slim and thin. That’s one of the reasons why people love like them.
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How They Differ
Digital lenses are made to suit the wearer’s needs using surfacing equipment that’s controlled by computer software. This allows them to provide better precision. The new technology makes it possible to surface lenses in power increments of 0.01 diopter. Meanwhile, the traditional way of lens surfacing can do it in 0.125 to 0.25 diopter increments.
Digital lenses provide numerous benefits. In terms of personalization, you can customize it to your needs. They are made for every prescription, which means the precision should be high. These lenses are also effective to boost visual clarity. The cutting edge technology is responsible for the increased visual performance of these lenses.
As a result, you will find your vision improved drastically than before. Another reason to use these lenses is because they can be tailored to various prescriptions, even the powerful ones. Due to the high flexibility, it’s also feasible to make more frame designs. If this has always been your concern when choosing glasses, then modern lenses will make you content.
On the other hand, traditional lenses have been around for long. If you’re not new to prescription glasses, some of your old glasses may utilize traditional lenses. The creation involves a grinding process in which the technicians will pick materials and then process the lenses according to the prescription.
Things to Look For When Choosing The Right Lenses
1. Type
To start with, it’s important to know the right type of lens to correct your vision problem. Do you have trouble seeing far or near? This small detail can guide you to find a suitable lens. You can talk to your optometrist to figure out what you actually need.
Beside single vision lenses, there are also progressive lenses. These work for people who have difficulty seeing close and far. Progressive lenses are better in the way they camouflage the transition from distance, intermediate, to near vision.
You will no longer be annoyed by the sight of a bifocal line in case this bothers you a lot. There are also talk oriented lenses. These lenses can help provide better visual clarity and avoid eye strain.
2. Coating
Coatings are aimed to improve protection of lenses. There are a few common coatings for lenses. The first one is anti-scratch coating. As the name suggests, it helps protect your glasses from scratches. Scratches are an inevitable factor when it comes to glasses use. They can come from cleaning the lens with a rough material or accidentally dropping the glasses to the floor.
This specific coating works by protecting the surface against strong force that can leave scratches. Anti reflective coating is another that’s highly popular. A lens coated with this extra layer will be more resistant to glare. The lens will allow more light to pass through, which results in better visual clarity.
There’s also color tint coating. Have you seen gaming or computer glasses that have a yellow tint? It’s not added for no reason. Some colors help block visible light and increase contrast, so they will be useful in certain environments.
For example, if you frequently drive at night, yellow lenses will ensure that you don’t get blinded by oncoming headlights.
3. Material
Material is another aspect of a lens that influences strength and durability. There are a few choices available. Plastic remains popular mainly because it’s affordable and doesn’t break easily. This is suitable for those who need mild prescriptions. There’s also polycarbonate. One of its strongest suits is the impact resistance.
Besides, it can also filter out harmful UV rays. If you want to make glasses for your vigorous activity, this can be an option. Another popular application is strong prescription glasses, the reason being – this material doesn’t increase in thickness, so it’s great for comfort.
Another lightweight choice is trivex lens. This lens has sharper central although it can be hard to come by especially compared to other lens materials.
Have you heard of high index lenses? They are also a great choice for people who need glasses with strong prescriptions. Even with this wonderful ability, they manage to appear slim and thin.
FAQs – Choosing The Right Lenses
1. Are digital lenses better?
Our take on this is when there’s a better option, why not consider upgrading? Digital lenses are in fact better than traditional ones in some areas, but some get stuck with their old glasses because they have been comfortable enough.
Digital lenses can precisely correct the wearer’s vision problems. These lenses are also known for providing outstanding clarity and fields of view. Besides, they make a perfect companion for night driving thanks to the anti glare technology.
You can now drive safely without worrying about oncoming high beams.
2. What is the best eye lenses brand?
There are some that you should check out. Kodak lenses, for instance, are known for delivering vivid colors. They also provide excellent clarity at all distances. Some of the products are thinner than average, which contributes to their weight. A lens doesn’t have to be heavy to get the job done.
You should also look through the collection of Drivewear. Lenses under this brand work for different light conditions. You can create glasses with ultra protection for indoor or outdoor use. Whether the sky is clear or cloudy, that shouldn’t be a problem with these lenses.
If you have a vision problem to correct, you can also consider Varilux lenses. They have a seamless transition from near to far vision.
3. Do yellow tinted glasses reduce eye strain?
Although lenses come in various tints, there’s an ongoing debate as to whether a yellow tint is better than others at preventing eye strain. Well, this tint does have a unique way of filtering visible light. This tint increases contrast and minimizes the effect of blue light.
This is a perfect combination for reduced eye strain. If you want to lessen the discomfort you feel in or around the eyes, try to wear yellow glasses.
Symptoms like headaches and pain should disappear after a few days. You can also extend screen time because one of the functions of yellow glasses is to increase sharpness and ease the burden on your eyes.
4. Are high definition lenses worth the cost?
With all the benefits, high definition lenses are definitely value for money. They cost about 30% higher than regular glasses. This looks like a decent increment, but if we look at the awesome features that these lenses have, it doesn’t feel overpriced anymore.
Imagine having the flexibility to create glasses based on your specific needs. They will clearly improve viewing experience. Many people said that their vision has improved after switching to these advanced lenses. They are reluctant to look back after that experience.
Summary – Digital or Traditional Eyeglass Lenses
It’s not always easy to pick between traditional vs. digital eyeglass lenses. Although the later could challenge traditional lenses with their superior clarity and wide fields of view, traditional lenses rely on nostalgic factor and lower price point. Besides, traditional lenses aren’t inherently bad.
Just because they’re behind in terms of customization and clarity doesn’t mean they are unreliable. We’ve been using them until the new invention burst onto the scene. These two differ not only in the way they accommodate prescriptions, but also in the way they’re created.
The surfacing of traditional lenses involves a labor-intensive process. After technicians are handed over the prescription, they will start working on it, like choosing the material and then shaping it according to the wearer’s needs.
Digital lenses simplify this long process, making it more efficient. There are many reasons why many people decide to ditch their old glasses for this new variety. Traditional glasses are notorious for causing a fishbowl effect. Only the center of the lens appears clear. The rest, on the other hand, looks blurry.
This discomfort is what digital lenses are trying to address. The clarity isn’t only applied to the center portion of the lens, but also the whole part.
Another thing that makes it more appealing is the lack of visible bifocal line. The transition from near to far vision is totally smooth.
