UV filters - This coating filters off the damaging rays for healthier eyes. Ultra-violet light cannot be seen or felt, therefore it is very dangerous. UVC is filtered out by the ozone layer. UVB damages the cornea and causes sunburn and snow blindness, UVA causes cataracts.

  
without polarising filter      with polarising filter

Polarising - eliminates reflections from smooth, wet, flat surfaces resulting in no more squinting, eye strain or temporary blind spots. These lenses help in conquering the glare created by surfaces like water, ice, snow and sand.

Tints - reduce the amount of light reaching your eyes making them more comfortable.

  
without polarising filter      with polarising filter

Polarising - eliminates reflections from smooth, wet, flat surfaces resulting in no more squinting, eye strain or temporary blind spots. These lenses help in conquering the glare created by surfaces like water, ice, snow and sand.

Why choose a Progressive Lens?

Normal healthy young eyes have a wide range of focus from far distance to a few centimetres. In a young eye, the lens is very flexible. As we get older, the lens of the eye thickens and slowly loses its flexibility leading to a gradual decline in our ability to focus on objects that are close up. This loss of focusing ability is called PRESBYOPIA. It is not a disease but a normal and expected change which sooner or later affects everyone, whether they already wear contact lenses and spectacles or not. It does not occur suddenly. Around the age of 40-45 we begin to realise that we are holding the newspaper further away or we need more light to read the telephone directory.

Progressive lenses are bifocals without the line so are cosmetically much more acceptable. They also have the optical advantage of correcting all working distances. At the top of the lens is the distance power which then changes gradually down the lens to intermediate, and near vision is at the bottom. The transition between distance and near is smooth so there is no jump and they are easy to adapt too. This means that you can look at people across the room, at your computer screen then down to your reading print with no problems.

Wearing corrective spectacle lenses can help us overcome the problems brought on by presbyopia. For example, single vision reading lenses, bifocal lenses, or progressive lenses.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Progressive Lenses?

With single vision lenses everything beyond the reading area is blurred, so you have to switch spectacles or peer over the top of your reading glasses to see distance objects.		Bifocal lenses only corrects near and distance vision, however the area in between can be blurred e.g. where your VDU is positioned. There is also an unflattering line across your lenses.		A progressive lens also gives an intermediate portion that gradually links the distance and reading portions together so you get clear vision at all distances which looks and feels far more natural.

Photographs courtesy of Essilor International

Will I adapt to Progressive Lenses easily?

There are many different types of Progressive lenses on the market. After discussions with us about the tasks you will need to wear the spectacles for, a decision can be made about the best Progressive lens for you. However there are some 'trade-offs' that must be considered, before investing in progressive lenses. Due to the way a progressive lens is manufactured, the main visual points are situated at the front of the lens, leaving unwanted astigmatism (commonly described as distortion) at the periphery of the lenses. This means having to 'point your nose' at what ever you need to see. The distance and near visual portions of a progressive lens are smaller than you would find on a bifocal. As progressive lenses are manufactured to your own individual specifications, they can be more expensive than bifocal spectacles.

When you call to collect your Progressive lenses we will instruct you on how to use the different areas of the lens. It can be a little like learning to ride a bicycle for the first time. It takes a little getting used to!

The majority of first time Progressive Lens wearers find they adapt either instantly or within the first few days of wearing them. Some people find it can take up to 6 weeks to get used to the new lenses. A small proportion of new progressive lens wearers, find that they are unable to get on with them at all.

Varilux Panamic - Varilux are continually developing their designs to restore your vision in a way that feels really natural. Varilux Panamic is their latest and most technologically advanced lens which gives you an exceptionally wide field of vision at every distance - near, far and intermediate - more than has ever been available with a varifocal lens. They are superfast to adapt to.