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Polycarbonate lenses: more safety in sight
When you are going to choose lenses for your glasses, it is important to select the material that best suits your lifestyle. Technological advances have made it possible to offer a great diversity of materials. Polycarbonate lenses are one of them.
These glasses have a component that gives them extraordinary qualities. Therefore, we are going to present to you how its operation can help you.
What are polycarbonate lenses?
Polycarbonate lenses owe their name to polycarbonate. It is a thermoplastic material that has been used as a substitute for glass for the manufacture of glasses. This is due to its unique properties of resistance, protection and visibility.
Polycarbonate is a fairly rigid polymer. In fact, it withstands about 200 times more impacts compared to glass. Therefore, glasses made from this material are less likely to suffer cracks or scratches on the surface.
The material began to be implemented in the area of space engineering in 1970. The windshields of the shuttles and the helmets of astronauts were made of polycarbonate. In 1980 this technology was transferred to the design of lighter, thinner and more durable lenses.
Polycarbonate micas are manufactured from granules of this same element that melt at high temperatures. They are then placed in molds to shape them into lenses. Such a process is known as injection molding.
How are polycarbonate lenses distinguished?
Polycarbonate lenses can be distinguished through different qualities provided by this special polymer:
- Thickness: polycarbonate lenses are at least 20% thinner than traditional ones. This is because its refractive index is higher. Therefore, they can offer the same formulation with less material.
- Weight: All polycarbonate glasses have a much lower total weight than traditional lenses. This is why they are ideal for patients with vision defects who require lenses with very high formulas.
- Clarity: Although the appearance of polycarbonate lenses is similar to that of glass, they do not provide the same sharpness. Polycarbonate provides exceptional optical clarity in both peripheral and central views.
- Resistance: they can withstand almost any fall or impact with other objects, as they are 200 times more resistant than glass and 50 times more resistant than acrylic. The surface resists well against scratches or other damage.
What are polycarbonate lenses for and how are they used?
Polycarbonate is naturally a material with anti-ultraviolet properties. This characteristic makes them ideal for protecting the eye while doing outdoor sports such as swimming goggles. They can be combined with photochromic polycarbonate to obtain all its advantages.
Lens polycarbonate is used to design children’s glasses due to its excellent ability to withstand drops and careless damage. For this same reason, bulletproof glasses are made with polycarbonate and a percentage of glass to guarantee eye protection in cases of accidents.
Likewise, polycarbonate lenses are useful for performing high-risk tasks such as: carpentry, gardening, foundry, and operating heavy machinery. In addition to repelling external objects that could damage the eye, they have better image clarity. Anti-reflective polycarbonate is a good complement that can be added to its composition.