UV Protective Coating for Lenses: What Does It Do?

Most people are aware that it’s important to protect your eyes on a sunny day. But the sun doesn’t have to be shining for harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays to potentially damage your eyes (and the skin around them.) Don’t let the clouds fool you - UV Rays can reflect off of sand, water, snow, and buildings - even on the most overcast day. That’s why it’s important to ensure that your everyday prescription lenses are also equipped with a UV coating, in addition to your sunglasses.

Some of the scarier effects of prolonged exposure to UV rays include cancer of the eyes and eyelids, damage to your cornea and retina, cataracts, and, pterygium (an abnormal growth on the surface of the eye) and photokeratitis (sunburn of the eye). UV overexposure has also been linked with macular degeneration.

Some of these conditions are not treatable, so prevention is the most important weapon we have to fight against them. UV damage is culmulative through your lifetime, so it is especially important to make sure children and teenagers are adequately protected. Around 1/4 of damage to our eyes occurs before we turn 18. For kids, increased periods outdoors in summer months are prime time for heightened UV exposure. And for adults, activities like competing in marathons, with the associated hours of training, can be a danger zone.

Thankfully adding a UV coating to your Rx lenses is easy, and often comes free with the lens you order from FramesDirect.com. Our clear, protective lens coating blocks 100% of harmful UVA and UVB rays and comes as standard on all all polycarbonate and hi-index lenses. Without changing the color of the lens, the coating will completely defend your eyes against UVA and UVB rays.

Learn more about adding UV protection, or any other premium coatings, to your Rx lenses.

If you have concerns about ordering prescription lenses online, be assured FramesDirect.com have plenty of resources to make the process easy. Buying glasses online can be less expensive and simpler than visiting your local optician.

Call one of our certified opticians at 1-800-248-9427 (Int'l: +1 512 402 8557) if you have any questions about adding UV coating to your lenses.

The Vision Council (2014, June) Picture This: A Lifetime of UV Eye Protection, Retrieved January, 30, 2015, from http://www.thevisioncouncil.org