Glasses,Eyeglasses,Sunglasses

Choosing glasses for a child is a tricky and emotional time for both parent and child. Fortunately eyeglasses have come a long way in recent years and now good looks and practicality go hand in hand. Eye health, safety and value for money are all considerations when choosing eyeglasses for a child and vision safety is paramount.

Polycarbonate lenses now offer the very highest degree of protection to take care of precious young eyesight. They were developed by the aerospace industry for use in helmet visors worn by astronauts. (Generally that super-cool nugget of information goes down well with reluctant school children!) Polycarbonate is also used for bulletproof windows, airplane windows and police riot shields, so a day at school should be a cake-walk for this material, which is 10 times more impact resistant than other plastics. Although your child should be taught how to care for eyeglasses, particularly when not being worn, chances are good that the lenses will withstand most challenges.

Polycarbonate Advantages
Usually when a material is good in one aspect, it has a compensating downside, but not polycarbonate. This super-strong material is lighter than standard plastic or glass, so even the thickest lenses are not too heavy on little noses. Fitted correctly, polycarbonate lens glasses will not slide down the nose as they are very lightweight. They are also about 20% thinner than other lenses which is important for attractive looks.

Polycarbonate is designed for rough and tumble play and is suitable for sports as it will not crack or shatter. Most eye care professionals recommend polycarbonate lenses for all children. Polycarbonate lenses are also recommended for children who only have sight in one eye. With plain non-prescription lenses, polycarbonate glasses can give extra protection to the remaining sight in the good eye.

UV Protection
Polycarbonate is a natural UV filter which means that at least 99% of the harmful ultra-violet rays of the sun are blocked from entering the eye, even without the glasses having a special lens coating. This is considered particularly important as children generally spend more time outdoors than adults. Researchers believe that more than 80% of a person’s average exposure to UV light comes before the age of 18. Reducing UV rays to a minimum may pay dividends in the future as overexposure to ultraviolet light is thought to be a cause of cataracts and other eye conditions.