Guide to Eyewear Lenses

There’s more to your glasses than just a frame and a prescription.

With the right lens enhancements—like coatings, materials, or subtle tints—you can transform your everyday eyewear into something more comfortable, protective, and tailored to your lifestyle.

I’m Dr. Nandita Chowdhury, Principal Optometrist at Picton Eyecare. Over the years, I’ve seen how the right lens choices can reduce eye strain, improve clarity, and help people feel more confident in their day-to-day life.

Let’s explore your options.

The Right Lens for the Job

Whether you’re reading, driving, working on a screen, or doing a bit of everything, different lenses suit different tasks.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Single vision lenses are set to one prescription. Great for either reading or distance—but not both.
• Bifocal lenses combine two prescriptions usually distance and near with a visible line on the lens separating the two prescriptions.
• Multifocal or Progressive lenses give you a smooth transition across near, intermediate, and far distances—without a visible line.
• Prism lenses help correct eye alignment problems, often used to manage double vision.

Still unsure which is right for you? We can walk you through the pros and cons based on your needs.

Not All Lens Materials Are Equal

The material your lenses are made from impacts how they feel, perform, and hold up over time.

Here are some popular options:

• Plastic (CR-39): Lightweight, affordable, and great for everyday use—but more prone to scratches.
• Polycarbonate: Durable and impact-resistant. Ideal for kids, tradies, and sports lovers.
• Trivex: Like polycarbonate, but with better clarity and slightly lighter feel.
• High-Index Plastic: A sleek option for strong prescriptions. Thinner and lighter without compromising vision.
• Glass: Offers brilliant optical clarity but is heavier and more breakable—used less often these days.

Tints That Do More Than Shade

Tints aren’t just for fashion—they can improve contrast, reduce glare, and help your eyes adjust to different environments.

Here are a few examples:

• Grey: Keeps colours true and cools the scene. Great for beach days or strong sun.
• Brown: Enhances contrast and warms colours. Ideal for variable lighting and long drives.
• G15 (Green): Balances colour and contrast. A favourite for driving and outdoor activities.
• Yellow and orange tones: Boost contrast and depth perception in low-light or cloudy settings.
• Blue or violet tints: Often chosen for their calming effect or style appeal, though contrast can drop slightly in bright light.

Not sure which tint suits you best? We’ve got demo lenses in-store so you can try before you decide.

Solid vs Gradient Tints

Solid tints darken the entire lens evenly—perfect for strong sunlight.

Single-gradient tints fade from dark at the top to light at the bottom, reducing glare from above while keeping your dashboard or book visible. Great for driving.

Bi-gradient tints darken both top and bottom, ideal for snow, sand, or water where glare reflects from all angles.

Special-Purpose Tints

Some tints do more than enhance comfort—they help manage visual or neurological conditions:

• FL-41 Tint: A rose-coloured filter that reduces light sensitivity and discomfort in migraine, blepharospasm, and post-concussion cases.
• Avulux Lenses: Patented lenses for migraine sufferers that block specific light wavelengths linked to attacks while allowing in calming green light.
• Therapeutic Tints: Custom-coloured lenses for conditions like Irlen Syndrome and visual stress, helping with reading, focus, and screen comfort.

Smart Coatings for Smarter Lenses

Coatings add another layer of functionality without changing how your lenses look.

Here are some worth considering:

• Anti-reflective coating: Cuts glare from headlights and screens.
• Scratch-resistant coating: Protects your lenses from daily wear and tear.
• Blue light filter: Reduces digital eye strain from phones, tablets, and computers.
• Polarised coating: Cuts harsh glare from water, snow, or wet roads—ideal for driving and fishing.
• UV400 coating: Blocks UVA and UVB rays to keep your eyes protected outdoors.
• Photochromic coating: Lenses that darken in sunlight and clear indoors—great if you don’t want to switch between sunglasses and glasses.
• Hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings: Repel water, fog, and fingerprints for clearer, cleaner lenses.
• Mirror coating: Maximum glare reduction. Popular feature for people who value eye contact privacy.

You can even combine multiple coatings for a lens that fits your life from morning to night.

Looking After Your Lenses

A great pair of lenses will last longer with a little care:

• Always store them in a hard case
• Never put them lens-down on any surface
• Avoid leaving them in hot cars, especially on dashboards
• Don’t toss them into bags or pockets without protection
• Clean only with a microfiber cloth, never tissues or your shirt

Final Thoughts

Your lenses are more than just prescription glass—they’re a tool for clearer, safer, more comfortable vision.

At Picton Eyecare, we take the time to understand your vision needs and lifestyle. Whether you’re reading under the gum trees in Thirlmere or cycling through Buxton, we’ll help you find lenses that go the distance.

You can call us on (02) 4603 2309 or arrange an appointment using the “Book Now” button in the navigation menu. We are conveniently located in the heart of Picton, NSW. There is plenty of parking available at the back of our store.convenient parking available.