So Glass or plastic lenses for glasses?

[desy]

Cost aside which is the better technology?
:sun:
Lay it on me the wife needs a new pair of glasses!!

 

[notfred]

glass

 

[ElFenix]

glass is better for correcting vision, plus its more scratch resistant. plastic is lighter.

 

[jlee]

I have thin scratch-resistant plastic...if I had glass, they'd probably be really thick & REALLY heavy. I don't have any problems with mine scratching..

 

[rayray2]

Definitely plastic. They both have their advantages/disadvantages, but IMO the plastic ones being lighter makes all the difference in the world.

 

[FoBoT]

glass, i always get glass. they don't scratch as easily
much heavier, but i hate scratches and i usually keep a pair for several years, so glass/no scratch for me

 

[XCLAN]

Originally posted by: rayray2
Definitely plastic. They both have their advantages/disadvantages, but IMO the plastic ones being lighter makes all the difference in the world.

i wear safety glassses at work because plastics scratch too easy.
but they glass i too heavy for everyday use for me.
so outside work i use plastics. it feels like a vacation taking my glass safety glasses off

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: notfred
glass

plastic will scratch WAY too eaisily

 

[desy]

OK a little more info her eyes are a plus 4
I though glass was thiner cause of higher density and something like a Zeiss lens keeps it thin?
Yes a little heavier but thinner overall better scratch reisistance too?
Or not. . . . . .

 

[glen]

Originally posted by: CadetLee
I have thin scratch-resistant plastic...if I had glass, they'd probably be really thick & REALLY heavy. I don't have any problems with mine scratching..

I can't imagine glass has a LOWER refractive index than plastic.
That being, glass lenses will always be thinner.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: notfred
glass

Do you wear glasses full time? I doubt that you would recommend glass if you did. I always get the lightest lenses available because otherwise I would have my glasses falling down my face all day. It's bad enough with them falling down every few hours as it is.

ZV

 

[FoBoT]

i wear glass all the time, quite thick/heavy , i don't care , i don't like scratches that you get with plastic

if i wanted less weight, i would get contacts or lazy beam my eyeballs

 

[NickelTitanium]

I asked my wife (Optometrist). She states that it all depends on the prescription (Rx). Glass is better in lighter prescriptions, "plastics" for heavier prescriptions. Nowadays, the "plastics" for glasses are a composite resin that is much better than the easy to scratch plastics of the past. Also, there are many coatings that can be placed.

If you are in the Los Angeles area, then email me and I can give you her #.

edit: ask for the polycarbonate lenses. for people with heavy frames. try silhouette frame

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: notfred
glass

Do you wear glasses full time? I doubt that you would recommend glass if you did. I always get the lightest lenses available because otherwise I would have my glasses falling down my face all day. It's bad enough with them falling down every few hours as it is.

ZV

i've got glass. its not that bad. i did have to adjust the earpieces to wrap around so they wouldn't slide down my nose.

 

[drewdogg808]

Originally posted by: desy
OK a little more info her eyes are a plus 4
I though glass was thiner cause of higher density and something like a Zeiss lens keeps it thin?
Yes a little heavier but thinner overall better scratch reisistance too?
Or not. . . . . .

if she is a +4.00, then you definitely do NOT want glass....it'll be pretty heavy. glass does have better optics and scratch resistance, but weight would be a big issue. i would go with a high index plastic aspheric lens (1.66 index), maybe get an anti-reflective coating (AR). some of the better AR coatings actually have a 2 year warranty for scratches. (crizal, zeiss, etc...) you could also go with polycarbonate with a 1.0 center thickness, which would be lighter than the 1.66 high index plastic with better impact resistance, but optics are a tiny bit worse than 1.66 plastic. but usually AR coatings will help the optics. dunno if i'm just rambling, but if you have any additional questions, lmk.

 

[desy]

Hmmm thats what I was wondering was if the the coatings on the plastics is the difference nowawdays.
I had Lasic a few years ago so I haven't shopped in a while but the last time I did bout 10 years ago Zeiss glass was the wayt to go and I was a +5 prescription.
Ahh thats why I like coming here lots of opinions fast, and usually more than one of you know what you are talking about !

 

[Howard]

If you're worried about scratched plastic, get a CVD crystalline diamond coating.

 

[Yossarian]

I would never get glass. If I have an accident the last thing I need is shards of glass near my eyes.

 

[thelanx]

Glass gives you better correction and visual quality I think, but plastic can be scratch-proofed, and can offer UV protection, and they're usually thinner.

 

[Sukhoi]

I have some polycarbonate that are pretty nice.

 

[Electric Amish]

PLASTIC!!!!

I've had both. I'll never go back to glass!!

amish

 

[Bignate603]

I always use plastic. I abuse myself and the glasses come along for the ride, the scratch resistant polycarbonate lenses work great. They're light and can take a beating.

 

[AndrewR]

Last time I bought glasses you couldn't get the anti-reflective coating on plastic, and I do remember that the AR coating and scratch protection were mutually exclusive. Given the choice, GET THE AR COATING! I refuse to wear glasses without it because it makes an enormous difference.

I'm sure technology has changed, but so has the technology for thin glass lenses. My wife got some over here (Japan) that were very thin given her +8 prescription, and they said that they could actually go thinner than that (more expensive, she doesn't wear them full time).

 

[vash]

Plastic, with the coatings is quite good to get. The weight of plastic makes it very desireable, so I always chose that over glass. In the end, I got lasik and live lense free!

vash

 

[Kaieye]

Vash, wait until you become presbyopic. Then you might need readers!


And for the main topic, go plastic!