AR Eyeglasses
AR (anti-reflective) coating on eyeglass lenses helps you see better by reducing glare from other lights. This includes computer screens, nighttime driving lights and other sources of reflections.
AR coated eyeglasses are available on all types of frames, including single vision, progressive, bifocal and reader lenses. Ask your VSP network eye care professional for more information on the right AR coating for your lifestyle and needs.
Increased Visual Acuity
AR eyeglasses have the ability to significantly increase a person’s visual acuity. This can be a major benefit for patients who are diagnosed with low vision and need help seeing clearly.
Acuity is defined as the number of letters you can read on a Snellen chart or a card that’s held 20 feet away from your eyes. It is expressed as a fraction or decimal, depending on the country or culture where it’s measured.
In most countries, acuity is measured using a Snellen chart that has letters at different distances from the eye. This is often done in an optical lab. The results are recorded and compared against a standard acuity chart or a video monitor that displays the letters.
Traditionally, acuity was a measure of the smallest letter that you could read on the Snellen chart or card. It was used to identify individuals who needed glasses, bifocals, or contact lenses to correct their vision.
Many people have acuity problems due to ocular conditions, such as glaucoma or macular degeneration, that affect peripheral vision. These people also have trouble seeing objects close to their faces or in low light conditions, which can make it difficult to perform activities such as cooking and driving.
According to Rick Ferris, a glaucoma specialist in San Diego, California, “the biggest advantage of AR is the way it reduces haloes and ghost images caused by reflections from the lens surface.” He adds, “An anti-reflective coating on your glasses is a great solution for reducing digital eye strain, especially when viewing screens at night.”
Another benefit of AR eyeglasses is that they can improve visual acuity in those ar eyeglasses with cataracts, explains Akira Tajiri, O.D., in Reedley, Calif. The lenses “reduce glare by reducing the flare around lights and objects,” Tajiri says.
Other benefits of AR eyeglasses include improved contrast sensitivity and vision through the lenses. This is because AR coating minimizes reflections from the front, back and internal surfaces of the lenses. It also helps improve lens optical quality, thereby improving acuity.
Reduced Eye Strain
The lenses in ar eyeglasses help to reduce digital eye strain by filtering out blue light from computers and smartphones. Although this is not a cure-all for computer vision syndrome, it can make the symptoms less severe and allow you to work more productively.
Anti-reflective coatings also prevent reflections from bouncing off of the glasses lens, so you’ll get a clearer view of your screens and photos without the usual glare. These coatings are especially helpful for those who use computers and mobile devices for long periods of time.
Some anti-reflective lens coatings even include UV protection that reduces the amount of harmful UV rays that reflect off the surface of your lenses. This is a good idea for all eyes as UV exposure increases the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
Another way that AR eyeglasses reduce eye strain is by reducing the ciliary muscle contraction caused by prolonged close reading. This type of eye fatigue is very common in people who spend a lot of time on the computer and in other close-up tasks.
Symptoms of eye strain can include dry or itchy eyes, blurred vision, headaches, and neck or shoulder pain. These symptoms may be due to a number of things, including poor posture and the way you’re using your digital devices.
You can reduce your chances of developing eye strain by adjusting your screen’s settings, taking breaks to avoid strain, and maintaining a comfortable viewing distance. However, if you’re still experiencing symptoms after adjusting your screen and other habits, it’s time to schedule an eye exam with your optometrist.
The most important thing you can do to reduce your chances of developing eye strain is to change the way you use your digital devices and take breaks when necessary. This can be as simple as changing the brightness on your device or using a screen protector to reduce glare and light.
If you’re suffering from eye strain and want to reduce the discomfort, talk with your eye doctor about the benefits of ar eyeglasses. They’ll be able to recommend the best pair for your needs and ensure your visual health stays in tip-top shape.
Reduced Glare
Anti-reflective (AR) coatings prevent light from bouncing back into your eyeglasses, minimizing the amount of glare that you see when wearing your glasses. This coating is most commonly used on sunglass lenses, but can be applied to any pair of prescription eyeglasses for a small price increase over traditional non-glare lenses.
AR coatings are a multilayer stack of metal oxides that block specific wavelengths of light. The thickness of the entire stack is typically less than 0.2 microns, which is only about 0.02 percent thicker than standard eyeglass lenses.
Most premium AR coated lenses go through a process that seals the anti-reflective layers and makes them easier to clean and maintain. Most also feature a “hydrophobic” surface treatment that repels liquid, preventing it from forming water spots on the lens. Some AR coated glasses also include an oleophobic (also known as lipophobic) surface treatment that repels oil.
These anti-reflective coatings help minimize glare and reduce eye strain by blocking high-energy visible light, which is created by the blue lights from computers, tablets, phones, and TV screens. This type of glare can ar eyeglasses be especially problematic when you’re using a computer screen for long periods of time or are working in brightly lit areas.
Another benefit of anti-reflective coatings is that they reduce the amount of back-glare that can cause you to squint and strain your eyes. This back-glare is caused by light reflected off the rear side of your glasses or sunglasses, and it can be annoying to wear.
Some people find that this type of glare is particularly problematic when they’re driving at night. It can be a real nuisance, causing a blurred, double vision effect that makes night driving more difficult and can even be dangerous in some cases.
Additionally, glare can be very disruptive when you’re performing tasks that require deep focus, such as when working on a computer or doing detailed work. This can make it uncomfortable to do these things and could result in eye fatigue over time.
The best way to combat this problem is by investing in a pair of AR coated eyeglasses. Not only do these glasses reduce glare, they also improve your visibility and enhance your appearance. Plus, they are much cheaper to replace than prescription eyeglasses, which makes them more accessible to everyone.
Enhanced Appearance
Anti-reflective (AR) coating eliminates the reflections on eyeglass lenses that reduce contrast and glare, making your eyes and facial expressions appear more clearly. In addition, AR eyeglasses look much more attractive than lenses without the coating, so you’ll feel more confident wearing them.
With today’s modern AR lenses, you can virtually eliminate the reflection of light from the front and back surfaces of your eyeglasses so that 99.5 percent of available light passes through the lens and enters your eye for good vision. This improves your comfort while you’re wearing glasses and makes them more attractive, so you can wear them in all lighting conditions.
You’ll also find that the AR lens is more resistant to scratches than a non-coated lens, and that it will be easier to clean your glasses because dirt doesn’t stick to the glass. This means you will not have to clean your glasses as often and can save money on maintenance costs.
Many of the premium AR coatings we offer have additional layers, such as oleophobic and hydrophobic, which repel oils, liquids and dust that could scratch or smudge your lenses. These layers help protect the lens from abrasions and make it easy to clean, so you can enjoy your new ar eyeglasses for years to come.
When you buy an ar pair of eyeglasses, your doctor will recommend the type of lens coating that is best for your needs. You may choose to have both the front and back surfaces of your lenses coated, or you can just get an anti-reflective coating for the front surface of your eyeglasses.
If you’re looking for a more affordable alternative to the higher-end AR coatings, there are plenty of cheaper options on the market. The downside is that they can look a bit dirty and don’t have the same cosmetic appeal as more expensive AR lenses.
While AR coatings are not cheap, they’re well worth the expense. The benefits of anti-reflective coatings are so numerous that they’re a smart choice for almost everyone who wears glasses. Besides providing superior visual performance, they are also beneficial for those who spend a lot of time in front of the computer or driving at night.