What are the differences between standard spectacles and certified prescription safety glasses?
Many customers ask if they can have bifocal or progressive/multifocal or transition lenses in their safety glasses. For the most part, all of the options that are available for standard spectacles are available for the certified prescription safety glasses. The only exception being that more impact resistant material is used to make the lenses. For example there is trilogy, polycarbonate and phoenix materials commonly used. PSG lab has mentioned that they will be bringing out a 1.6 material shortly, which is good news for people that have higher prescriptions as their lenses can be made a little thinner. The 1.6 index material will also be more resistant to solvents. As anyone that has had polycarbonate lenses previously knows, they are not to be cleaned with chemicals.
Transition lenses are known for their photochromatic ability. Which enables the lenses to go dark outside and clear inside, this option is certainly available. Most of the prescription safety glasses frames have the option of the clear to grey traditional Transition lenses. But the Eyres products also have a version available that starts off with a light brown tint and goes darker brown outside. It should be noted that Ultraviolet (UV) rays of light have to hit the photochromatic lenses to change their colour. Therefore they don’t work very well in vehicles or cranes as most have UV filters in the windscreen.
If you are currently using a bifocal or multifocal/progressive lenses in your safety glasses why not continue to use this type of lens in your safety glasses. Both of these lens options are available in medium impact certified safety glasses. The only option that doesn’t appear available with bifocals is the polarized lens type option. The Bolle and Matador safety glasses are available with a grey tint in the bifocals so they can still be safety sunglasses, but polarized isn’t available at this time.
It should also be mentioned that occupational progressive lenses (a lens that has the computer distance ~1.5m distance is clear at the top of the lens and ~40cm is clear at the bottom). Is also available in safety glasses, though of course they aren’t designed for walking around.
With regards to lens coatings why not have the anti-reflective coating that you have on your normal glasses on your safety glasses? It still has the same benefits of making the lenses clearer to look through and removing reflections from your lenses. This coating is of particular benefit to you, if you are short sighted/myopic, or have astigmatism.
Anti-fog coatings are available on the PSG products and later in the year also the Bolle and Matador. We will keep you posted as this becomes available. Mirror coatings are also available on the Eyres safety glasses and can look amazing as well as getting rid of extra reflections.
You really have no excuses for not having a great pair of prescription safety glasses as there is a huge range of styles available and there are so many different lens options available. Making it easier to do you job.
