More and more people around the world are turning to prescription safety glasses, in a world where medical science has made convenience all the more openly available. But with prescription safety glasses, there are many types to choose from, when considering both lenses, frames, and other points that you might not even consider. 

So just how many different types of prescription safety glasses are there, and which are the best for you, as an individual? Well, this is a good question that largely depends on your preferences, workplace environments, as well as your general needs.

The Different Types of Lenses

There are various types of lenses that you can consider for your prescription glasses. In the case of most of them, the best type for you will largely depend on your needs. Such as…

Single vision lenses, which correct your vision for only one way – either to help adjust long-sightedness, or short-sightedness. These are the most common types of lenses to be worn in glasses and this is also true of safety glasses.  The lenses come in shatter-proof / safety variations which are typically made from polycarbonate or Trivex.  If you need to correct your sight for the sake of either reading, driving, or to feel more comfortable in general – these are the simplest investment.

Another popular type of lenses to use are the varifocal lenses (sometimes called multifocal or progressive lenses), which typically contain a combination of various prescriptions over the surface of the lens in order to give multiple focal points. These types of lenses were designed primarily for those who suffer from ‘presbyopia’, an eye condition that causes difficulty in focusing on objects. With varifocal lenses, you can clearly see objects either from a close, middling, or long distance with ease.

The final different type of lens is bifocal, and where they differ from varifocals is that there’s a clearer distinction between the lens types – usually only combining two different prescriptions. These are typically provided with an area in longer distance, and one in a shorter distance. The segmentation is more noticeable here, but this is still a quality and popular choice.

The Various Enhancements

As with any type of prescription lens, you can typically add your own level of enhancements and changes to them if you can afford them. Not all are necessary, but when it comes to your personal needs, only you can tell what enhancements are best for your prescription lenses. These include…

Coatings

One popular type of coating for prescription glasses is an anti-reflective coating. Through the reduction of reflections, a sharper focus on objects is made possible. The lower possibility of a glare is a welcome enhancement.

Blue Light Protection Coating

Another enhancement that is seeing increasingly popular use these days is the Blue Light Protection coating– one that’s even recommended by some doctors, if your work involves frequent and potentially damaging use of electronics. Staring at a computer or phone screen for a long time isn’t healthy for your eyes. The Blue Light Protection coating can amend this issue, with the coating successfully reflecting the blue light from these digital screens and reflecting it away from your eyes. 

It's important to note that this is very much different from the anti-reflective coating and that multiple enhancements may not always be an option for one pair of prescription lenses.

Prescription Safety Glasses

For those who require prescription glasses but are also used to wearing PPE in a dangerous workplace environment that requires it – or even for simple hobbies where safety glasses are necessary, there’s always the option of looking into prescription safety glasses or goggles.

Prescription safety glasses are, in essence, safety glasses with the inclusion of strengthened, shatter-proof prescription lenses set into the hardened frames. They’re often a requirement in certain lines of work, and your ability to see what you’re doing may often be just as important as your need to shield your eyes from potential projectiles or hazards.

These are made with the same process as regular safety glasses, ensuring absolute safety and quality eye protection. They also undergo the same safety tests against elements such as fire, high-velocity projectiles, falling debris and splashing hazardous chemicals.

You can get varying types, including…

Regular safety specs, for use at either work / home environments or at home for various hobbies that may require some basic eye protection and eyesight availability, such as home carpentry.

Safety sports glasses are a purely hobbyist (and sometimes professional) choice and can be particularly popular among cyclists or runners, wherever there may be a risk of debris or dust flying into the eyes.

Safety lab goggles are another variation used in laboratory environments, meant to protect the eyes from things like chemical splashes, potentially harmful gasses, and radiation from light sources.

All of these types of safety glasses can have prescriptions set in, simply by contacting the manufacturer through a form – which most will have available. 

Prescription safety glasses are a simple solution to a major problem for many people, and a relief for those who can’t afford corrective eye surgery. With so many types and variations in lenses, and even more in the frames (purely stylistic, of course) you ought to feel no shame or trouble in looking for your ideal types of prescription glasses.