Knowing your lens material is just as important as lens performance. The quality and durability of the lens depend on the material. The performance of the lens also depends on the properties of the material. Some formulations are defined by materials and not all lens materials are suitable for certain types of formulations.

Here are some of the lens materials and their advantages and disadvantages

1. GLASS LENSES

I recommend people who work in environments that are often overheated, flamed or sparked, and dusty because they pose a risk of scratching the lens. This is the oldest lens material and is now less used due to the emergence of new materials and new technologies.

Advantages

Therefore, the scratch resistance is high and no hardened layer is required.

Excellent optical quality, clear vision

Affordable price

Disadvantages

Glass is the heaviest material used in lens manufacturing, so glasses with glass lenses will be the heaviest. If you have a larger frame type, it will leave a mark on the nose due to stress

Glass lens thickness: If you have a large diopter, the lens will be thicker

Glass is easy to break: if you ride glasses on the floor, you have a chance to run out of lenses

Due to the fragility of the glass, it does not allow drilling or trenching at the edges of frameless or semi-rimless glasses.

2. POLYCARBONATE LENS

An advanced material, mainly used for sports activities in sports goggles, also applies to children's glasses and safety glasses due to resistance, but in any normal daily activities.

Advantages

Polycarbonate is more resistant to vibration than plastic and is not easily broken

It is thinner and lighter than plastic

Allow drilling and other processing

100% UV protection

Disadvantages

Polycarbonate is easily scratched and requires a hardened coating

Optically, it is worse than glass and plastic because of the sensitive colour difference

Higher price

3. PLASTIC LENSES

The most used material in lens manufacturing is plastic, which is suitable for most activities.

Advantages

Clear vision, like to use glass lenses

Plastic is lighter than glass and more resistant to breakage

Allow specific processing, such as grooved wire (semi-frameless glasses) or screw holes (rimless glasses)

low cost

Disadvantage

It is easier to scratch than glass, but it can be compensated by applying a hardened layer

The thickness is comparable to glass, so plastic is a smaller diopter