A good and healthy brunch consists of what you want and what’s good for you. What about your eyeglass lenses? Do you know what lens functions you’re getting? What do you really need in your lenses, and what are pointless?
Let us make it clear – both your vision with your new eyeglasses and in what you’re actually getting!
“Anti-EMI” lenses
Anti-EMI coatings are used to protect sensitive electronics from electromagnetic interference. Your microwave’s door is an example of an EMI enclosure. But what are anti-EMI coatings on eyeglass lenses supposed to protect you from? Try searching for anti-EMI eyeglasses. Notice the lack of any scientific research? Oh, and radio waves, infrared rays, and visible light are types of electromagnetic radiation. So if you’re seeing this, there’s electromagnetic radiation. Ahhhhh!
Verdict: Don’t waste your money.
“Anti-Computer-Ray” lenses
The American Academy of Ophthalmology does not recommend any special blue-light blocking eyewear for computer use. We don’t, either. We also wrote a whole post on it over here. In a nutshell, “blue light from electronic devices is not going to increase the risk of macular degeneration or harm any other part of the eye” [1], and there is little evidence to show that using such lenses prevent digital eye-strain based on a double-blind test [2].
Verdict: Don’t waste your money.
Anti-reflective and ultra-violet blocking coating
Very commonly just referred to as “multicoating”, this has pretty much been the industry standard in high UV-index Singapore, except for some traditional shops that still use uncoated lenses. Exposure to Ultra-Violet rays from the sun is one of the causes of cataracts, and using an anti-reflective (AR) ultra-violet (UV) coating reduces irritating reflections and protects your eyes from harmful UV rays from the sun. The AR coat makes it easier for you to view the world through the lenses as light transmission is increased. Yes, our lenses come with these coatings as a standard.
Verdict: Yes, definitely something you’ll want.
1.60, 1.67, 1.74, 1.76 high index lenses
Higher index lenses, which are lenses that are more ‘compressed’ and have higher density, have become popular in recent times. They provide the benefit of being thinner compared to the traditional lower lens indices like 1.50 or 1.56, especially for higher prescriptions, and even more true for high myopia. There is, however, a downside – the higher the index, the lower the light transmission, and the lower the Abbe value. This results in more chromatic aberrations or colour distortion and fringing. Hence, we go down the middle at 1.60 index and an option for 1.67 index if you require even thinner lenses. Unless your myopia is pretty high, we would not recommend ‘lighter’ 1.67 index; it will just make your wallet much lighter.
Verdict: It depends on your prescription, but note that your frame choice plays an important role in the thickness of the edges of your lenses!
HEV420 / violet light blocking lenses
Go back and see revisions to clear out English mistakes and myths!
High Energy Visible (HEV) 420 coating blocks most of violet light from 400nm to 420nm. Violet light, being close to Ultra-Violet (100nm to 400nm), has higher energy compared to the other colours in the visible light spectrum, and can be harmful in larger amounts [3], hence the need for it, especially if spending more time outdoors in daylight.
Verdict: Probably something you’d like to have, although it is not an industry-standard at the moment and thus its usefulness and value can be debated over.
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