To really be worn and enjoyed, your eyeglass frames must be combined with suitable lenses. These are important considerations:

Compatible prescription. Your frame must be compatible with your prescription. Progressive lenses require a frame with a particular depth in order to accommodate the change that needs to occur from the distance-to-reading prescription. Likewise, high-powered lenses require the smallest-sized frame that still fits comfortably.

It’s good to know that new technology is allowing for strong prescriptions to be made ever thinner and lighter.

Lens coatings. You have a variety of choices in lens coatings today. Consider which are necessary or desirable for your lifestyle:

Anti-reflective: originally developed to reduce reflections from computer screens or when driving at night, anti-reflective coatings are now chosen primarily for their cosmetic benefits. This coating reduces reflections off the lens, thus giving the appearance of having no lenses in the frame – people will wee your eyes more clearly.

UV protection: ideal for sunglasses, UV coating will block out 100% of the UVA & UVB rays.

Tints: you can choose from various shades, colours and intensities of tints. For sunglasses, the most common tints to block glare are brown and grey. Depending on your eyes’ sensitivity and the function of the lenses, you can choose tints that will block from 10% to 90% of light.

Transition lenses: these lenses change colour based on the ambient light. They will be clear indoors but will darken to sunglasses when in the sunlight.