Choosing the right glasses can seem complicated. Between figuring out how to read your prescription and choosing the right coatings for your lifestyle, there’s way more to it than just choosing fashionable frames.

One question we frequently encounter is: what is the difference between anti-glare and blue-blocking lenses?

The experts at Payne Glasses break down what these two lens add-ons do, why they’re important and how to choose which one is best for you.

Anti-Glare: Reflecting on the Light You See

Eyeglass lenses have a reflective surface on both the front and the back. When light reflects off the front of the lens, you don’t notice it much because it bounces away from you. But when light reflects of the back of your glasses, it bounces right into your eyes, causing glare. This effect is often most noticeable from the headlights of cars at night, from computer screens and on glasses of very strong prescriptions. Anti-glare – aka anti-reflective – coatings produce interference that reduces the glare effect. These coatings are invisible to the naked eye while improving your clarity of vision. Anti-glare coatings do not block any part of the visible light spectrum, though, including blue light.

Blue Light Lenses: Blocking the Digital Blues

Blue light is also known as High Energy Visible light because it is very high on the visible light spectrum, just before invisible ultraviolet light. The sun naturally emits blue light, and similarly to UV light, a small amount of it is good for our health while too much of it can be harmful. Problems with blue light arise from the fact that spending time in front of digital devices – computers, cell phones and flat screen televisions – exposes us to much more HEV than we need. Blue-blocking lenses filter out up to 90% of the HEV emitted by digital screens, helping to relieve the eye strain and sleep disturbances that are chief complaints of computer users.

To Tint or Not to Tint: That’s the Driving Question

Neither anti-reflective coatings nor blue-blocking lenses provide any visible tint. People looking at you will not notice these protective coatings, and you will not notice a color when you look through the lenses. If your goal is to darken your lenses to reduce the amount of light hitting your eyes, there are options like colored tints and polarized lenses. These glasses are generally better for daytime driving and outdoor activities, as they can make indoor vision and computer screens look muddy. The anti-reflective coatings included on all Payne Glasses lenses will help reduce glare from headlights, but special tints for enhanced night driving are also available.

How to Choose the Right Lenses for You

You’ve got a lot of choices for your glasses lenses. Whether your prescription calls for single vision, bifocal or progressive lenses, choosing a frame that fits and flatters is just the beginning. Payne Glasses makes it easy to select the perfect pair. We can help you choose the best nonprescription blue block glasses, the most comfortable sports progressives or the most fashionable bifocals for all your vision needs. From the difference between anti-glare and blue-blocking lenses to the reasons beginner’s progressives might work for you, we’re with you every step of the way to great-looking glasses.