Key Takeaways
- Anti-reflective coating reduces reflections on your lens surfaces and lets more light reach your eyes.
- Anti-reflective and anti-glare are different terms, and wearers often mix them up.
- The coating can help with clearer daytime vision, easier night driving, and more comfortable screen time.
- Cost varies with your vision insurance, and proper cleaning helps the coating last.
- Our team in Boise can match a coating to your lifestyle during a regular eye exam.
You slip on your glasses, but a shiny glare keeps bouncing back at you from the lens. Those reflections can impact your view during the day, scatter headlights at night, and tire your eyes after hours at a screen. At Vision One Boise, we’re here to explain how anti-reflective coatings can help reduce this glare and improve comfort.
Anti-reflective (A/R) coating is a thin layer added to your lenses that reduces reflections and lets more light pass through, keeping your eyes more comfortable, especially during tasks like night driving or screen time.
What A/R Coating Does for Your Glasses
You may have noticed your reflection bouncing off your lenses in a photo or a bright room. That can happen when light hits the surface of your lenses instead of passing through them.
Anti-reflective coating, often shortened to A/R, cuts down on those reflections. It lets more light travel through the lens and reach your eyes, so the picture in front of you looks cleaner, with fewer reflections. It’s designed to make the lenses look nearly invisible, so people see your eyes instead of a shiny glow.
The Difference Between Anti-Reflective and Anti-Glare
Though these 2 lens coatings sound similar, they have different purposes.
Anti-reflective coating works by passing light through your lenses and reducing the reflections on the surface. Anti-glare is a broader term that can refer to products or technologies designed to reduce glare. Polarized lenses are one example, built to handle light bouncing off of flat surfaces outdoors, such as pavement or water. Knowing which one you’re talking about helps you order the right lenses for the way you spend your day.
Benefits of Anti-Reflective Coating
Clearer Vision Day to Day
Without as many reflections on your lenses, you may notice screen time feels clearer, which can help ease eye strain for some. Small print on your devices may seem clearer, or you may notice that tiny text on a medication label or menu becomes easier to make out.
Many of our patients also tell us that they see fewer distracting reflections floating across their lenses, so their focus stays on what’s in front of them.
Easier Night Driving
Headlights and streetlights can throw halos and ghost images across your lenses at night. A/R coating can reduce these reflections and some distracting ghost images, which may make night driving more comfortable for some people. If night driving makes you uneasy because of reflections from your glasses, it may be worth discussing A/R coatings at your next comprehensive eye exam.
Cost and Lifespan
What you pay for A/R coating can vary with your vision insurance, so it’s important to check your specific plan before you make any decisions.
How long an A/R coating lasts depends on the coating, lens material, and how the lenses are cared for. Scratches and damage can affect the performance and appearance of your lenses, so proper cleaning and storage are important.
How to Choose and Care for A/R Coated Lenses
Pick the Right Coating for You
Start with how you spend your time. Our eye care professionals can help you match the coating to your lifestyle, whether you drive a lot at night or sit at a computer for work. Our team can walk you through all your options so that you know you’re making an informed, confident decision.
Simple Cleaning Tips
It’s important to know how to clean your lenses so you can extend the life of your investment. Always try to wet your lenses before you wipe them, as a quick rinse helps remove grit that would otherwise scratch the surface.
Use only the cleaners our eye care team recommends, since some household sprays can wear down the coating. Never clean your lenses with a shirt, paper towel, or toilet paper, as those materials can scratch your lenses. Instead, use a glasses-specific microfiber cloth.
Find Your Next Pair of Glasses
At Vision One Boise, our team blends years of experience with a modern, technology-focused approach to help every member of your family see comfortably. Schedule your eye exam with an optometrist in Boise today, and let the team help you find lenses that fit your day.
