SeePort Optometry offers a wide selection of eyeglass lenses to meet individual vision requirements. Choosing the appropriate lenses can help you protect your eyes, increase your comfort and enhance your performance at work or at play. Here we have compiled most of the styles, materials, and options with brief descriptions for your convenience. Please consult with us so we may help you customize the best lenses for you. Also, additional pairs of eyewear can be a compliment to fashion, sports, or other activities in which you participate. Glasses are excellent tools to enhance our quality of life and should be considered in many different applications.

Lens Styles:

• Single Vision-corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Most people who wear glasses before the age of 40 have single vision lenses
• Bifocal Lenses-provides sharp vision for both far and near, but there is a noticeable “jump” at the visible line between far and near lenses. The bifocal or “seg” resembles a half moon. These were developed by Benjamin Franklin!
• Trifocal Lenses-provides sharp vision for far, intermediate (arms length) and near. Again there is a noticeable “jump” as your eye moves to each section.
• Progressive Lenses- this is the most advanced technology which provides crisp vision at all distances without the visible lines or image jump. It is a better option almost always.

Lens Materials:

• CR-39-most people refer to this type as “plastic” lenses. This lens is light weight compared to glass (which for safety reasons we NEVER recommend), and may be made in just about all prescriptions.
• Polycarbonate-because of the way this material bends light in a different way than plastic lenses, your lenses will be thinner than the same prescription in plastic lenses. This is the lightest weight material, and therefore the most comfortable lens available. These lenses also have the added benefit for those frequently outdoors, under fluorescent lights, or using computers in that they filter ultra violet light naturally, blocking 99% of the damaging light. These lenses have the highest impact resistance and are used in all sports and rimless eyewear for your protection.
• High Index-the higher the index of refraction the quicker the light will pass through a lens, so less actual lens material is needed meaning the higher the index, the thinner the lens. These lenses are helpful in higher power prescriptions.

Additional Options:

• Scratch resistant coating-no lens is scratch-proof!! This coating, however, will make lenses harder to scratch when dropped or rubbed against a hard surface.
• Ultra-violet (UV) treatment-is a treatment applied to lenses to protect against harmful UV light that can contribute to the development of cataracts, macular degeneration, and skin cancer that can develop on the sensitive skin of the eyelids. We recommend this on ALL eyeglass purchases unless your lens material/option already has UV blocking quality.
• Anti-reflective coating (AR)-reduces the internal and external reflections on the lens allowing approximately 11% more light to pass through the lens which improves your quality of vision. Anti-reflective coatings also reduce unwanted glare and halos at night. Cosmetically, AR coats make the lenses appear invisible and thinner. In our opinion, the top quality AR technology that we offer has improved dramatically. They now feature a more scratch resistant quality and are the most scratch resistant lens available. We recommend AR be considered by everyone, but especially by people with high prescriptions, poor night vision, or those in a profession in which appearance is important or public speaking is common.
• Transition Lenses- are activated by the exposure to UV light, the very same thing they protect against. Transitions™ automatically “adjust as light conditions change to provide the appropriate level of [tint]” (Transitions.com). They also protect against ultra violet light, and provide visual comfort by minimizing eye strain and fatigue. Since, modern windshields also block UV light, transition lenses will not change inside your car. For this application, you may want to consider a second pair of sunglasses.
• Polarized Lenses-the most popular sunglass lens choice. Most often seen in grey or brown, but there are many other colors available. Polarized lenses decrease bright glare and reflections and are recommended for this harsh FL sun!! The color of the lens has a lot to do with the performance of the lens, the way your eye reacts to them and your visual sensation.

Grey-is the most popular color for general purpose use because the colors remain true with no distortion and maintains normal depth perception. It makes a good everyday or all-purpose choice for sunglasses. It is recommended for fishing in blue waters.

Green-is very similar to the grey in that colors remain true. Green is recommended for tennis, golf or driving.

Brown-is effective for filtering blue light commonly found in hazy, foggy or low light conditions. Brown will improve your depth perception and contrast in variable light conditions. Brown is recommended for skiers, golfers and fishing in shallow waters.

Orange/Yellow-Orange and yellow lenses filter out blue light, and therefore increases contrast. These lenses are good for cloudy day driving or any type of shooting activities.

Red-primarily used when working in bright sunny places.

Blue- good in partly cloudy weather and is popular among tennis players and golfers.

Violet- enhances oranges, greens and black. It is recommended for shooting activities in below average weather conditions.

Copper-provides maximum contrast and is best for any activity where good vision is important.

Melanin- a golden brown tint that provides high contrast. Believed to help prevent macular degeneration. Melanin is a pigment that occurs in the body and protects the body from harmful exposure to sunlight. Melanin lenses are made with a synthetic form of this pigment that never loses its potency.