Prism Effect on Edge of Lens

by Shane
(Warner Robins,Ga. USA)

Q: I just got new eyeglasses. They have much thinner lenses than before and have an antiglare coating.

The edges of the lens is very clear, like it was polished. This is creating a prism like effect that catches light and makes the edge light up. I've never seen this before, I checked all my old eyeglasses and all the lens have a matte finish to them.

What do I do to help stop this, it's very annoying?

Thanks, Shane


A: I understand from your description that you have rimless frames or semi-rimless because you can see the edge of the lenses. These are very nice frames, elegant and discreet.

When mounting the lenses in this kind of frames, the optician has two choices of finishing the polish:

- the dull(mat) edge or
- the transparent edge

Usually, they go with the clear type because is nicer and give the eyeglass an elegant touch.

These two choices are pure aesthetic; they should not interfere with your vision.

You said you have thinner lenses now, so if they are high index lenses, the transparent edge can create a prism effect and bend the light in an annoying way.

Well, there is a solution to this and is simple too… you can go back to your optician and tell him you choose the mat kind of edge because of the problem you have with the vision.

They will put the lenses back to the polishing machine and make the edges dull. This should work; the shaping machine should do this without making the lenses smaller, so they will be the same, only the edge will be dull.

Related Information

Rimless Glasses
High Index Lenses
Frameless Glasses Parts


Hope this helps,
Arpi

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