Have you heard about polycarbonate lenses - a high-tech innovation in the field of eyeglasses providing the greatest protection for eyes? Polycarbonate lenses are made of a very unique type of plastic having several precise properties, making it the most preferred and most used alternative material for ophthalmic lenses today.

Let’s explore some interesting and useful information about these super-thin, ultra-light lenses with highly impact-resistant power.

What is Polycarbonate?

Polycarbonates are polymers of monomer molecules, which are linked together by alternating carbonate groups. These polymers can be synthesized to create protective features. They have better light transmission characteristics than glass, having one of the highest refractive index ratings (1.585 ± 0.001).

Polycarbonate has an extremely light specific gravity and extreme softness to absorb more impact than other plastics, even from bullets. It possesses extraordinarily good dimensional stability over a wide temperature range.

These are the reasons why polycarbonate is considered the most appropriable, innovative material for eye lenses combining superior quality, technology and style. Polycarbonate lenses were first introduced by Gentex Corporation, a company in the aerospace industry, in 1983.

What's So Special About These Space Age Polycarbonate Lenses?

High-precision polycarbonate lenses are the optical industry’s most popular and most superior hi-index lenses, as polycarbonate plastic is more durable, stronger, more impact resistant and safer.

Lenses made by polycarbonate are lighter and thinner than plastic, for allowing greater flexibility and wider choices. The reason is a higher refractive index that allows light to pass more quickly through the lens, so high index lenses can be fabricated considerably thinner than any other material while providing greater protection than traditional lenses.

Considered as more attractive spectacle lenses than conventional plastic lenses, polycarbonate is the ideal lens material for vision correction, safety, mcomfortable fit, or cosmetically appealing reasons. These lenses can be tinted in any color or shade from light to dark as for sunglasses with ultra-violet coatings.

Polycarbonate lenses are high index lenses, so you have never to pay any extra charge for high index separately, which offers superior benefits to spectacle users. These lenses weigh even less than standard plastic. Its density is only 1.2 and it doesn’t break. Polycarbonate plastic also blocks harmful ultraviolet rays to control cataract formation and retinal damage.

Presently, polycarbonate is the most child-resistant and toughest optical material having their surfaces specially treated with a scratch-resistant coating. Almost all polycarbonate lenses come with scratch coating, so they are perfectly capable of bearing up with the rough and tumble activities of children with an extra margin of safety. They are very useful for high-risk individuals as police and firemen, people with compromised or limited vision, alfresco businesspeople and sportsmen.