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Around the world, billions of people rely on prescription eyewear to see properly. Consumers plan to spend hundreds of dollars on each glasses purchase while most need replacement glasses every 1-3 years. However, it’s usually not the whole pair of glasses that need replacing. Rather, it’s just the lenses. Lenses may require replacement due to scratches, breaks, and changes in prescription. Buying replacement lenses can be done at a fraction of the cost of a new pair of glasses. If you like your current frames and want to save money, consider only replacing the part of the glasses in need of replacement.

Since you’re only buying new lenses, you may be able to afford fancier lenses than otherwise. Replacement lenses can upgrade any frames to the latest in vision technology. Whether you need bifocals, progressive lenses, or high-index lenses for your prescription, these are closer to your reach than you might have thought before. No longer would you need to consider buying different glasses for reading and driving.

There’s more to lenses than focals, however. Another dimension is material; the most common lens types today are plastic, glass, and polycarbonate. Different lens materials can affect vision clarity and durability. Plastic is the most affordable option, but it doesn’t have the natural scratch resistance of glass. Glass has the highest optical clarity, but it’s more prone to breaking than polycarbonate lenses are.

You don’t only have to rely on lens material to offer eye protection. Lens coatings can offer additional benefits. Beyond fighting back against scratching, lens coatings can also offer protection from UV radiation, reduction in blue light, and fog resistance. Today, most lenses come with scratch resistance and UV coatings for free. The former adds more durability to polycarbonate and high-index lenses in particular.

Now that you’re aware of the more common lens features, let’s talk about some more unusual features available to consumers. Lenses with colored tints may look stylish, but did you know they can also offer vision benefits? Different colors bring different benefits to the wearer. Yellow and orange tints enhance contrast in low light conditions. They can make night driving easier. Brown tints can reduce strain for near-sighted people in bright sunlight. Gray reduces fatigue and allows the lenses to function like all-purpose sunglasses. Blue and purple tints enhance vision in foggy weather and offer protection against highly reflective surfaces. Finally, pink (or rose-colored) glasses enhance depth perception and detail. They may also reduce migraines. For people with dyslexia, tinted lenses may give them less trouble than other types of glasses.

All the above lenses are for regular glasses. What about sunglasses? Sunglass lenses can be added to any frames, with or without a prescription. Polarized lenses scatter light rays to reduce intensity of sunlight and reflections. They offer UV protection and reduce glare, but they may not be compatible with LCD screens or some windshields. Transitional lenses are lenses that darken when exposed to UV rays, combining one pair of glasses for both sun and indoor use. However, there is some lag time required to adjust to new conditions.

Say you do order replacement lenses. How long does it take to receive them? It can be as little as 5 days! All you have to do is ship your frames to a lab, wait for new lenses to be created and fitted to your frames, and then they get shipped back to you. Because you aren’t going through an optometrist, you can avoid the additional markup many such stores charge. Upgrading your favorite glasses with new lenses is convenient and easy for all consumers.

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