Ray-Ban makes top-quality sunglasses with non-prescription lenses in some of the most recognizable styles in the world. And, while Ray-Ban is known for their iconic frame shapes, the technology that goes into the lenses cannot be discounted. Ray-Ban's highly functional sunglass lenses protect your eyes and provide crisp, clear vision. Personalize your style when you choose from hundreds of lens and frame combinations. From colored or mirrored fashion lenses to the classic green Ray-Ban G-15s, FramesDirect offers a multitude of options in Ray-Ban lenses to suit your look.
The biggest differences between Crystal (glass) and plastic Ray-Ban lenses are weight and impact resistance. Crystal lenses provide better clarity, are heavier, and, while they are less likely to scratch than their plastic counterparts, can break under high impacts. Plastic sunglass lenses are much lighter, and more impact resistant than crystal lenses, while offering slightly less crisp optics. Whether you choose Crystal (glass) or Plastic (polycarbonate) lenses depends on what activities you do while wearing Ray-Bans, and whether sacrificing a small modicum of clarity for less weight is preferable. All Ray-Ban sunglass lenses offer clear vision, comfort, 100% UVA/UVB protection, and outstanding durability.
To compare:
Ray-Ban Crystal Lenses: Crystal lenses offer better clarity and homogeneity. The pure optical glass is completely consistent across the lens for a true, blemish-free optical surface. Crystal lenses are also scratch-resistant.
Ray-Ban Plastic Lenses: Plastic lenses provide superb vision, but they’re much lighter weight and more comfortable than glass. Plastic lenses are recommended for playing sports because they’re impact-resistant, even exceeding FDA regulations.
All plastic Ray-Ban sunglass lenses are polycarbonate, while Ray-Ban Crystal lenses are made from glass. Polycarbonate is known for its impact resistance, clear optics, and reduced weight; all of Ray-Ban's plastic lenses exemplify these benefits. Most athletes and sports enthusiasts prefer plastic sunglass lenses, as they are less likely to break or shatter during most sports or other high-impact activities.
Ray-Ban Crystal lenses are made from glass. Crystal lenses offer improved clarity over their plastic counterparts but tend to be heavier. They are also not recommended for sports with projectiles, as they may break if subjected to brunt force.
Ray-Ban lenses come in a wide array of options, including their patented G-15 green lens, B-15 brown lens, rose, and grey. The lens color you choose will determine how much and what type of light is being filtered out and thus will not reach your eye. The classic green and brown shades offer the most protection. Lean towards green for more precise vision, which helps eyes feel more relaxed. Brown lenses offer the highest contrast, and grey lenses are best for improving color perception. As you can see from the table below, the Special and Gradient options let in more visible light than solid-colored lenses.
Ray-Ban's dark grey lenses are the brand's darkest sunglass lens offering. This lens color boosts contrast and provides ample protection from the sun's bright light as well as UVA and UVB rays. Commonly seen in classic Wayfarers and Aviators, this lens type is a great choice for anyone who spends extended periods of time in direct sunlight.
Ray-Ban’s classic Solid lens range was originally developed in the 1930s for military pilots who flew at high altitudes. There are seven color variations, including the green family for natural vision and brown for greater contrast in low light.
Ray-Ban’s advanced production methods ensure a smooth gradient on both Crystal and Plastic lenses. Choose from a simple gradient, bi-gradient (where two colors are mixed), or a mirrored gradient. Reflective mirrored coatings make a bold fashion statement while reducing light transmission. The mirror coating, made from metal oxides, is fused to the lens at a molecular level—so you don’t need to worry about peeling or loss of uniformity across the lens.
Ray-Ban also releases seasonal and limited edition colors from time to time.
'Ray-Ban P' on the upper corner of a pair of Ray-Ban lenses means that they are polarized. Ray-Ban offers two variations on polarization, a lens coating used to cut glare from reflective surfaces like snow or water, in their sunglass lens technology. Standard polarized Ray-Ban lenses offer the aforementioned glare reduction and are perfect for those who spend time on the water, in the snow, or around other reflective surfaces. Ray-Ban's proprietary Chromance lenses offer many of the same benefits of polarization, while also boosting contrast, color differential, and clarity. In general, polarized lenses block glare and eliminate annoying reflections from the road, windshields, and water. They also reduce eye strain and squinting, leaving your eyes feeling more rested and relaxed. Polarized lenses increase contrast for better visual sharpness and accurate perception.
If a “P” appears next to the distinctive signature on the right lens of every pair of Ray-Ban non-prescription sunglasses indicates polarization in the lenses. Chromance lenses will also have a "P" next to the logo on the lenses, as well as the word "Chromance" etched into the lower left corner of the lenses.
For Crystal (glass) lenses, the polarizing filter is sealed between two layers of glass. For Plastic (polycarbonate) lenses, the polarizing filter is fused within the lens material itself.
All polarized lenses from Ray-Ban come with the additional benefit of anti-reflective coating on the back of the lens, so less than one percent of reflected light reaches your eye.
No, Ray-Ban lenses are not guaranteed shatterproof under extreme conditions. That being said, both plastic and Crystal Ray-Ban lenses are extremely strong and impact resistant, making it highly unlikely for the lenses to shatter during everyday, normal use. Ray-Ban does offer some sports shades that meet common ANSI safety ratings for high-mass, high-velocity impact resistance that can stand up to most high-octane activities. It is important to always thoroughly review product details to make sure that your chosen frames are suited to your favorite activities.
If your Ray-Ban sunglass lenses have become scratched, broken, damaged, or foggy over years of wear and tear, it's relatively simple to replace them. Ray-Ban offers an easy-to-use online system to request repairs or replacement lenses for a pair of frames. Ray-Ban will often replace lenses for a fee. Find out more about their warranty on frames and lenses on their website. While we always recommend consulting professionals before making any modifications to a pair of frames, online resources abound with information on how to use do-it-yourself techniques to change out lenses. If you ever have questions about how to replace your Ray-Ban lenses, reach out to us. Our staff of trained opticians is standing by to help with any concerns.
Let us customize your Ray-Ban sunglasses with lenses in your prescription. Please contact one of our experienced opticians to get started.