High Index Lenses

The Advantages of Using Lenses with High Refractive Index

As a prescription eyeglass owner, you have the power to customize eyeglasses as you see fit. While it may be annoying to wear glasses or contact lenses, one encouraging part of this process is that you have a wide range of options. Whether you select high index lenses or not, it is helpful to recognize what they are and what benefits they can offer to eyeglass wearers.

By doing your research and understanding your preferences, you can create the perfect pair of prescription eyeglasses. To put it another way, you can leverage many customization options to design a pair of eyeglasses that meet all of your particular needs. We live in an era of mass customization, so we are sure that you can design something that you will truly love.

But having said all of this, one of the choices that you may contemplate focuses on your eyeglass lenses. Specifically, you may be deciding between “regular” lenses and high refractive index lenses. While the choice is obviously up to you, there are certain advantages that you can leverage by selecting high index lenses.

How High Index Lenses Work

Before discussing the advantages, however, it is important to first discuss what high index lenses are and how they differ from other lenses.

All lenses in prescription eyewear correct refractive errors by bending light as it passes through a lens. Compared to regular glass or plastic lenses, however, high index lenses bend light more efficiently. To put it another way, high index lenses correct the same amount of refractive error but with less material. They have a higher index of refraction and have a lower specific gravity.

High index lenses have been popular in the last twenty years. This is because they are thinner and lighter than different types of lenses. If you were to take any frame and compare high index lenses with other lenses, you would inevitably notice that the high index frames feel lighter and easier on your face. This is just a brief description. While these lenses may be more expensive than their counterparts, they provide a wide range of benefits to wearers.

The Advantages of High Index Lenses

Ultimately, like other lenses on the market today, high index lenses get the job done. By choosing these lenses you won’t need to worry about whether you will be able to see clearly. But compared to other types of lenses, they offer some distinct benefits and advantages. Depending on your preferences, these advantages may outweigh—perhaps substantially outweigh—some of the other advantages seen in different eyeglass frames.

First, one major advantage of lenses with a high refractive index is that you can take advantage of better optics. This is a key advantage from high index lenses. Wearers of these lenses can take advantage of a crisp, clear field of vision. These lenses, especially at night, can sharpen your sight, giving you the confidence that you can see as clearly as possible.

This benefit is especially relevant in a wide range of scenarios. For instance, if you are driving down a road at dusk, you can be sure that your high index lenses will let you see every object on the road. If you are at the office, your high index lenses can ensure that you are seeing everything clearly, whether you are looking at text on your screen or looking at documents at a meeting. Wherever you are, high index lenses can help you better see the world around you. While this may be more relevant in certain situations over others, it is a terrific benefit that you may want to leverage.

From better optics, high index lenses have a high Abbe value. If you do not yet know, an Abbe value is a number that is provided to describe the amount of chromatic aberration of an ophthalmic lens material. To put it another way, it is an objective measure of how widely a particular lens disperses wavelengths of light as that light passes through the lens. Abbe values range from a high of 59 to a low of 30. The general rule is that the lower the Abbe value, the more likely that you will experience chromatic aberration.

Therefore, if you purchase a lens that has a low Abbe value, the lens has high dispersion, meaning that you can see chromatic aberration (like colored halos when you are looking at or near lights). By contrast, by using lenses that contain a high Abbe value, you will be less susceptible to chromatic aberration in your day-to-day life.

This advantage can be useful in a wide range of situations. For instance, if you work in an environment where there are many bright lights, purchasing high index lenses will make you more comfortable. They will help you better concentrate during those stressful moments. If you live in a home with many bright lights, you will also notice that these lenses will help remove some of the colored halos that you are noticing. Even if you aren’t noticing these halos at this time, you may want to consider high index lenses for this purpose—especially if you anticipate working or living in a bright environment. 

Finally, lenses with a high refractive index have more of a cosmetic appeal compared to other lenses. There are several reasons for this, but they often center on the fact that these lenses are thin. Once again, high index lenses are thinner than their counterparts because they require less lens material to do their job. You don’t need a thick lens to bend the light that is traveling through your lens. Because of this, these lenses are less clunky or thick than other lenses.

Yes, this may not be as mission-critical of an advantage compared to something like better optics. Nevertheless, aesthetics are a relevant factor when choosing prescription lenses. By purchasing lenses with a high refractive index, you can be confident that you are looking your best, whether you are making a presentation to a client or are on a first date. Lighter, thinner lenses will help you stop squinting or broadcast tension on your face. They will put you at ease and give you the confidence to take on challenges throughout your day.

A Terrific Alternative to See Clearly

Whether you are purchasing your first pair of prescription lenses or have been purchasing them for some time, we encourage you to check out these lenses. These eyeglass lenses are thin, lightweight, and can provide you with a wide variety of substantial benefits.

If you have any interest in improving your eyesight or feeling more comfortable when wearing your eyeglasses, we encourage you to check them out today. The risks are low and the potential benefits are extremely high. All it requires is a willingness to research the benefits of high index lenses and the courage to go out of your comfort zone to try something new.

Along with this, if you are interested in incorporating these lenses into your prescription eyewear, we encourage you to check out Rx-Safety. At Rx-Safety, we have extensive experience in incorporating these lenses into prescription eyewear. To learn more about how we can add high index lenses to your favorite frame, don’t hesitate to contact us. We look forward to working with you.

Discover more about what high index lenses are and how they can improve your overall seeing experience!