Polycarbonate lenses are very strong plastic lenses. Eye care specialists universally recommend them for children’s eyewear. So, why not recommend them for adult eyewear? Well, I do and the reason is simple. Your sunglass lenses sit only a half inch or so from your eyes. Who wants something there that, if hit, could break and severely injure your eyes? This is why manufacturers make protective eyewear, S.W.A.T police eyewear, and military eyewear with polycarbonate lenses.
To learn more about the safety glasses shown in the image, click here.
What Are the Negatives of Polycarb Lenses?
It is easy to scratch a polycarbonate lens. That is why they are pretty much universally treated with a scratch resistant coating. The secret to not scratching your lenses, is to never place them with the lenses contacting the surface where they will rest. Always put them down with the temples (legs) down. Secondly, never rub your glasses with a random towel, shirt tail, necktie or cloth. To clean them, use non-residue soap and running water and gently clean them with your clean fingers. Blot them dry with a lint-free towel. This not only protects the polycarbonate but also the various layers of coatings such as anti-reflective (AR), scratch-resistant, tint and polarization coatings.
In high power glasses, there can be problems with polycarbonate. Two of these issues are edge thickness and chromatic aberration (seeing a rainbow fringe at the edge of objects). In adults needing high powers it can be problematic, so a sacrifice in safety is made and high index lenses are used. These reduce edge thickness and help eliminate the rainbow fringes.
Sunglasses and Readers
The advantage that over-the-counter sunglasses and readers have is that they offer plano (zero) power lenses and low power reading and computer eyewear. There is no issue with lens edge thickness or chromatic aberration at these powers.
In today’s world of modern plastics, I see no reason for anyone to wear glass lenses that sit only half inch from our most precious organ, our eyes. Sometimes glass lenses are called something else such as “crystal”. While it is true that they have passed a “drop ball test”, they are still glass. We all know what happens to glass if it is hit hard enough.
By using polycarbonate lenses you are wearing the safest and healthiest sunglasses, readers and blue-blocking eye wear available.
