High power lens prescriptions are problematic and if you have a high power Rx you’ve probably had to live with thick lenses in your eyeglasses for a while. There are things you can do to minimize the unsightly thickness of your lenses by following some simple rules of thumb.
First, many who wear eyeglasses have high power prescriptions. A low power prescription is when the total power of the lens sphere and cylinder are less than 3.00 diopters of power in a lens. The higher the power goes above this value the more likely your lenses will have thick edges or unusually thick centers that can magnify your eye. As the total power of your lenses goes up the more challenging it will be to hide the thickness. The following are some general rules of thumb to consider when purchasing frames and lens material for your prescription.
1) Usually, a smaller lens opening is better. Think less wide, less tall, and the rounder the better for nearsighted prescriptions. Round doesn’t always help farsighted patients but smaller is still a good idea for near or far sighted Rx’s, so think smaller.
2) Avoid rimless and semi-rimless frame designs where much of the edge is exposed. Farsighted patients may find that their lens Rx makes edges very thin so it is best to avoid the frames that expose the edges. Full frames are best, generally speaking.
3) As your Rx power goes up you should also move up to a higher lens material “index” value. For example, standard plastic lenses (about 1.49 index value) are almost twice as thick as 1.67 High index lens material for the same prescription. As the power of your eyeglass lens Rx goes up, go up in index too.
4) Frames will vary in their ability to help conceal edge thickness but generally speaking, full plastic frames provide more cover for the edge than metal frames.
5) How the lens is edged and processed for your frame will be a great opportunity area for you in accomplishing a thinner edge profile. By offsetting the slight anchoring ridge cut into your lens to distribute the lens to both the inside and outside sides of the frame, the thickness of the lens can be made far less obvious. When buying lenses ask for edging that helps balance the thickness for the best aesthetic appearance for your finished eyeglasses.
6) In combination with item (5) above, another helpful technique is referred to as edge painting. The thick lens edge common in nearsighted Rx’s is painted or stained with a color that matches the basic frame material and along with the edging technique noted in (5) and can provide an excellent way to minimize edge profile. While this applies mostly to myopic patient’s it has value for fashion conscience eyeglass wearers of all kinds who simply want the best lens and frame profile that they can accomplish.
7) It is not a bad idea to make it a point to call and chat with a certified ABO/NCLE optician for a confidential chat about how we can help you minimize the thickness of your lenses and help you get the best look in your prescription glasses.
The right eyeglass frames can enhance your look and even help conceal the thickness of your lense prescription to a large extent. Combining good edging techniques, and the right lens material for your Rx and the frame fashion that suits your face and fashion sense can make eyeglasses a great enhancement to the real you.
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