What are anti-reflective lenses and who are they recommended for?

Le anti-reflective lenses have become very popular on the optical market and are an interesting solution that eliminates refractions improving the performance of the lens. In practice these lenses are able to reduce the reflective effect of artificial and natural lights improving transparency and visibility. You can take a look at the excellent Essilor anti-reflective lenses and, in the meantime, discover in the lines below how they work and when they are recommended.

Anti-reflective treatments improve visual performance

The majority of opticians believe that it is preferable to speak of "anti-reflective treatments” rather than anti-reflective lenses since this is an additional option that can be applied on every eyeglass. The layers that reduce reflections do not affect the thickness but simply improve performance.

By performance we mean the lens response type to light situations that can range from the reflection of the television to that of lights in closed spaces. In environments where there is artificial light, i.e. emitted by lamps and chandeliers, reflections can penalize the visual experience and, therefore, give rise to so-called ghost images.

The phenomenon of ghost lights

This phenomenon occurs when the lamp create a reflection on the back of the lens, that is, the one facing the eye. It consists of a series of luminescent halos which strain the eyesight and can cause so-called asthenopia, or headaches, heaviness in the eyes and burning.

That's why adding an anti-reflective treatment or purchasing lenses of this type directly will improve the viewing experience eliminating, completely, the annoying ghost images. Clearly to have a good result the lens must be treated on every side and not only on the front.

The advantages of anti-reflective lenses

Among the advantages of these lenses there are certainly improved performance but we must not forget safety while travelling, especially when driving. In fact, the high beam headlights of cars driving in the opposite direction and the contrast that occurs in the dark projects very annoying reflections onto the eye that interrupt the view of the road.

Furthermore, anti-reflective lenses have demonstrated their great effectiveness even with natural lights and with the UV filtering which, as you know, can be very dangerous for the health of the eye. Well, anti-reflective lenses do not shield from light like sunglasses but certainly protect against the action of ultraviolet rays. This feature is very important, especially for the prevention of early eye diseases caused by the aging of the retina and crystalline lens such as cataracts and all maculopathies.

Is it true that they get dirty more easily?

Finally it is well known that the anti-reflective treatment is beneficial for the maintenance of the lenses which, thanks to the applied film, tend to get dirty less. Obviously this happens on quality anti-reflective lenses, that is, well stratified on each side. In fact, very often the best opticians are used to treating the lens with anti-fouling and anti-repellent to maximize the viewing experience.

Many believe the exact opposite, that is, that anti-reflective lenses tend to get dirty more, but this is just a big misunderstanding. In fact, the high transparency guaranteed by this type of lens means that any stain or irregularity be perceived more easily.