Absorptive Lenses
Patients with low vision due to eye disease have varying degrees of usable vision. A common problem that many low vision patients share is difficulty with glare and excess light. Because glare can significantly reduce visual clarity, people with low vision may want to choose eyewear, like absorptive lenses, that helps reduce glare and filters out excess light.
What are Absorptive Lenses?
Absorptive lenses are tinted lenses that improve a person’s visual clarity by reducing glare and increasing contrast. Their purpose is to filter out excess light and transmit only a certain amount of visible light through the lens.
Although these lenses are not sunglasses, they do have a clear UV shield that reflects UV light away from your eyes.
Absorptive lenses are available in varying degrees of light transmission strengths and colored tints. On the spectrum of visible light, blue light typically causes the highest level of glare. This is why patients tend to choose tints that contrast with and filter out blue light, such as amber, orange, and yellow.
Here are a few ways your eye doctor may prescribe absorptive lenses:
- 32% gray
- 65% yellow
- 49% orange
- 10% medium amber
- 2% dark gray-green
The number refers to the amount of light passing through, and the color refers to the tint. Your low vision optometrist will determine the unique combination best suited to your visual needs.
Types of Absorptive Lenses
Absorptive lenses are usually worn as wraparound glasses, which offer protection from all sides. However, they can also be worn over your regular eyeglasses or clipped onto glasses.
Absorptive lenses can also be customized with specialized optical coatings, such as:
- Mirror coating
- Anti-reflective coating
- Anti-fog coating
- Polarized lenses
- Photochromic lenses
- Edge coating
- Custom tints and colors
Our Low Vision Optometrist Can Help
A low vision consultation is the first step in assessing which of the many low vision aids, lenses or devices could benefit you. During this consultation, we will examine various parts of the eye and assess functional visual abilities.
Our low vision optometrist will also inquire about your preferences and lifestyle, so you’ll receive the best-suited low vision aid or device.
We offer a wide range of low vision aids and devices, ranging from hand-held magnifiers to computer-based devices.
Our Low Vision Optometrist prescribes all types of low vision glasses and devices, such as:
bioptic and full diameter telescope glasses, microscope glasses, prism glasses and filters of all types, as well as a wide range of low vision aids ranging from hand-held magnifiers to electronic visual aids.
Once the best low vision aid for you is determined, you’ll be advised on how and when to use it.
If you think absorptive lenses are right for you or if you’ve been diagnosed with an eye condition that causes low vision, call Clinic for Vision PC Low Vision Center to schedule a low vision consultation.
Clinic for Vision PC Low Vision Center serves patients from Albertville, Boaz, Guntersville, and Crossville, Alabama and surrounding communities.