Choosing Between Premium or Basic Lenses
Choosing between premium and basic lenses has become more difficult since the rise of purchasing glasses online. The product quality has declined which is leading to a loss of consumer trust in retailers’ ability to provide high-quality products. After all, how can you be certain your money is being used wisely? Why is there such a big difference between lenses bought online, those from big-box stores (like LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Walmart, Costco), and branded lenses (Nikon, Essilor, Zeiss, Hoya)? What justifies spending hundreds of dollars on a pair of lenses versus less than $100? Ultimately, it’s about making an informed decision on what best suits your needs.
Importance of Prescription Strength
The strength of your prescription significantly impacts which lenses you should or shouldn’t buy. If your prescription is higher than ±4.00D or you have more than -1.25D of astigmatism, I would recommend avoiding online retailers. This is based on my personal experience working with online retailers, and it comes down to the fact that online stores rely on only one measurement, pupillary distance (PD). Unfortunately, PD alone does not address the measurement variations caused by the frame choice and lens type. There is no guarantee that they can accurately manufacture your prescription using just that information.
Higher Prescriptions and Sensitivity to Changes
With higher prescriptions, you’re more sensitive to changes in lens positioning. If the lenses are decentered, both the clarity of your vision and your overall comfort can be compromised. Most online retailers use stock lenses, meaning the lenses are not custom-made for the patient’s prescription or frame. These mass-produced lenses lack the customizations that ensure optimal vision.
Stock Lenses vs. Surfaced Lenses
For lower prescriptions, stock lenses are generally fine, as there’s more tolerance for inaccuracies and decentration. Errors in lens positioning are more tolerable, which is why online retailers can afford to sell lenses at lower prices. They skip the surfacing or customization process and rely on just one measurement, ensuring that the stock lenses will fit into the selected frames.
On the other hand, when you pay for surfaced lenses—lenses custom-made for your prescription and frame—you’re paying premium prices for the extra steps taken to ensure accuracy. This ensures that your prescription is exactly where it should be in the lens.
The Benefits of Premium Lenses
Premium lens brands also offer additional options to reduce distortion and increase clarity, using technologies like digital surfacing. These technologies are not available to most online retailers, and there’s a reason premium lens manufacturers don’t offer their products online. For higher prescriptions, these advanced technologies help maintain the precision and quality of your vision.
Conclusion: Low vs. High Prescription Choices
If your prescription is low, purchasing lenses online is generally safe, and you won’t need to worry too much about compromising on quality. However, for higher prescriptions, buying lenses online risks both the accuracy and quality of your lenses.
Lens Materials and Pricing
One major factor in the price differences of lenses is the material they are made from. While most lenses today are plastic, the quality of these plastics varies depending on their origin. The source of the material plays a significant role in determining both the quality and price of the lenses.
High-Index Lenses and Prescription Strength
Did you know that Nikon was the first company to create the thinnest plastic lens available on the market, with a 1.74 lens index? This high-index material is rarely offered by online retailers, as it’s typically required only for those with very strong prescriptions (±6.50 or higher). The higher the lens index, the thinner the lens. While individuals with prescriptions around ±6.00D can opt for lower-index lenses, these will be thicker and heavier.
For example, my prescription is -6.50 in both eyes, and I prefer the 1.74 lens index primarily for comfort, although it’s not a necessity. Thinner lenses are lighter and more comfortable to wear, especially for stronger prescriptions.
Manufacturing Origins of Premium Lenses
All Nikon lenses are manufactured in Japan, and other premium brands also originate from reputable sources. Essilor lenses are made in France, Zeiss in Germany, and Hoya, like Nikon, in Japan. In contrast, most online retailers source cheaper lenses, primarily manufactured and imported from China. These lower-cost materials contribute to the affordability of online options but may not match the quality of premium brands.
Differences Between Premium and Online Lenses
Rest assured, premium lens brands do not buy lenses from the same manufacturers as online retailers and simply add their label to increase the price. Premium brands focus on quality, customization, and advanced materials. However, the same cannot always be said for lenses offered at big-box store optical centers, where there may be less emphasis on quality control.
Lens Coatings: Quality Matters
There is a significant difference in the quality of lens coatings between online retailers and premium brands. In my experience, online retailers consistently offer coatings that are far inferior. These coatings tend to craze (break down) prematurely and fail to provide the optimal viewing experience that premium coatings deliver.
Common Issues with Online Retailer Coatings
The coatings provided by online retailers are often harder to clean and can hinder vision rather than enhance it. Despite claims that their coatings offer the same benefits as premium brands—such as anti-reflective, anti-glare, anti-scratch, dirt and oil repellence, anti-static properties, and blue-blocking technology—I would remain skeptical about their actual effectiveness.
The Premium Coating Process
Premium lens manufacturers take great care in applying coatings to ensure they adhere properly to the surfaced lenses. This process is lengthy and ensures durability and performance. In contrast, online retailers typically use stock lenses and are not involved in this coating process, which means they cannot guarantee the quality of the coatings they sell.
The Truth About Blue-Blocking Coatings
Many companies claim to offer “blue-blocking” coatings, but it’s important to note that not all are created equal. Premium brands invest heavily in research and development to ensure their coatings block harmful blue light without affecting the aesthetics of the lens. Cheaper blue-blocking coatings, on the other hand, often result in a noticeable blue tinge in most lighting conditions. Premium coatings, being more selective, block only the harmful blue light while maintaining a transparent and visually appealing appearance.
Lens Availability and Quality
Where lenses are sold is a strong indicator of their quality, provided you aren’t purchasing counterfeit products. Premium lens manufacturers carefully control who is authorized to sell their products to avoid misrepresentation in the market.
Restricted Access to Premium Lenses
Premium lenses are only available through select optical shops and optometrists. These manufacturers do not allow big-box store opticals to sell their lenses, which is why you’ll often find unbranded or widely available lenses at these locations. Additionally, premium lenses are not available online. For example, Clearly.ca is owned by the Essilor Group but does not sell Essilor’s Varilux lenses.
Benefits of Buying from Your Local Optometrist
When purchasing from a local optometrist, you’re not only paying for their professional recommendation on the best lens for your needs, but you’re also ensuring you receive a premium, authentic product. All premium brand lenses should come with an authenticity card. If you don’t receive one, it’s possible that the lenses are counterfeit.
The Value of Premium Lenses
Ultimately, whether premium lenses are worth the cost comes down to personal preference. Premium brands are more expensive because they invest more in manufacturing and quality control and are not designed to compete with lower-cost alternatives. In my experience, especially with a higher prescription, I’ve found investing in premium lenses (Nikon in particular) to be worthwhile. I’ve never regretted choosing a premium brand, even though I have yet to try some of the other major brands.
I found this INFO very helpful and informative, Well researched and laid out
Buying Glasses is a mine field and it’s not easy to come out the other side with a product that’s whats best for you
Apart from spelling “Availabiltiy” wrong above, this was a good post. I want the trifecta – big, full progressive transitions so I’m not swapping glasses going in and out of doors in summer. With my tiny PD and a big frame, a first fitting of top of the line Zeiss Individual 2 didn’t work (in this case the optician only sold Zeiss). Professional opinions between whether it was too big a frame for my PD, or simply the wrong lens choice that was to blame – were divided. I’m about to explore other lenses with the same frame, to see if it makes a difference.
Thanks for pointing out the spelling error! Trying a different design will definitely make a difference for you. Everyone’s brain is different so just because one lens works for one person, doesn’t mean it’ll work for another. I would try a Nikon (SeeMax Emblematic is their top of the line right now) or Hoya (iD MyStyle 2) progressive if you haven’t yet! We’ve had lots of success with those 2 lenses. Let us know how they work out!
Hi Natasha. I’m about to purchase new glasses and was just wondering if you think that the Nikon HD progressive lenses are an excellent choice? I’ve also been told that Varilux is good. I have astigmatism and a strong prescription to correct my sight. My last pair of glasses were awful…the actual viewing area, I discovered later on, was just in the center of the glasses. I want to make an intelligent choice this time.
Hi Joanna,
Nikon and Varilux are both good products. It’s tough with progressives because there isn’t one lens that works the best for everyone. They all have different designs and certain designs will work better for certain people. Do you know exactly which Nikon/Varilux lens you were advised to try?
Thank you for the informative article. I’m 46 and in the last year and a half I experienced a significant deterioration in my sight with the onset of presbyopia. I’m a graphic designer, working in vector, often with tight lines, curves, and a need for high accuracy in my sight. My prescription is +5.25 in my right eye, with -1.25 astigmatism (axis 165 deg), and +6.5 in my left. I’m willing to spend any amount of money for the absolute best optical solution, and I will only stick with Nikon, but I’m very confused as to what lens exactly is best for me. Should I go with Nikon Seemax Emblematic (I’ve never had progressives before, and I’m concerned but having to move my head around to get the vision support I need at close distances; I also really need to look through the centre of the lens for computer work), or should I go with single focus lenses for everyday life (which in the Nikon range, I’m really not sure), and something like Nikon’s Online Wide Neo for computer work? I honestly cannot find enough information to make an informed choice. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Ian,
Thank you for reaching out to us! The Nikon Emblematic progressive is definitely top of the line. However, as a graphic designer you spend long hours in front of a screen/screen(s) that are at set distances. I would recommend going with a single vision computer prescription so that the whole lens can be utilized for computer viewing. Progressives are great for everyday things but when it comes to needing wide viewing areas for specific tasks for long periods of time, they can be cumbersome and limiting. Like you mentioned, the head tilting and finding the sweet spot can be mildly annoying. Do you have any closer paper work that you need to change focus to look at for work? If yes then the Online Wide may be a better choice to switch focus points from screen to paperwork. Keep in mind though that because there is more than one prescription in the lens there will be distortion areas that are not optimal vision. If you’re in the area we’d be more than happy to help you in person 🙂 Hope this helps you though!
Hi Natasha, I am looking for info and a comparison of myopia control lenses (Essilor vs Zeiss) for my 12 year old child who’s prescription is -1 & -1.25. Is one brand more effective than the other?
Hello! Sorry for the late reply. As far as myopia control goes, there is no research on which lens works the best. Each lens manufacturer has their own version of myopia control lenses. In my opinion, it really depends on how the child uses their eyes when they are doing things up close. Both designs compensate for the internal changes happening and should help to counteract the actions that contribute to myopia advancement. Going with either one should be beneficial for the child. Different designs simply work better for certain people and how their eyes converge when doing near work. Hope this is helpful!
Hi, I have very high prescription -10 and -9. I have little astigmatism too. I usually wore Nikkon glass lens but am now an elderly and want to change to plastic. I wanted Nikkon progressive lens but my optician does not stock these so I went for Ziess. Her supplier is currently struggling to get these and I have been suggested to go for Hoya. I am a little reluctant as I understood Hoya is inferior quality to Zeiss or Essilor. Your advice will be greatly appreicated. Thanks.
Hello! You should be able to get progressives in your prescription for all of those brands. I wouldn’t say one is inferior to the other. They are all great manufacturers – just different designs that suit different people. It’s hard to determine which one is better for you without having your try the designs or having previous experience with them. Also the frame selection will make a difference as well.
I’ve had problems with several pairs of varifocal glasses over the years mainly in keeping them clean! I generally clean them with optical cloths many many times a day. They smear very easily which distorts my vision. I wear my glasses all the time and work at a computer daily. I don’t touch my glasses except to remove them to clean. Is this down to the quality of the lenses? I think my latest lenses are Hoya. I need new glasses at present. What would you recommend
It could be the coatings. Better coatings now include oleophobic (repels oils) and anti-static properties to help keep the lenses cleaner longer. Do you know what coating you purchased?
I have a basic distance-need prescription. I want really dark sunglasses (beach/boat/convertible) in a GLASS lens. Which supplier would you recommend?
Hi Scott,
For anything glass, I would recommend Zeiss 🙂
I require progressives for a very high prescription of -11 and -6. I’ve been told a long time ago I also have some astigmatism. I’m trying to decide between Kodak Unique HD, Nikon SeeMaxUltimate, Essilor XL and Zeiss (i.e. all the top levels for the brands). 1) I’m wondering is there that much difference between Kodak and the more pricey brands? I’ve used both Kodak and Nikon in the past, but never questioned what level I was getting or even the lens manufacturer in the past. I don’t see much difference between the two progressives I have, but one of my computer glasses seems to be so much clearer than the two progressives (especially for the computer of course; don’t know the brand). 2) In what order would your recommend the above brands for me? [fyi, the width of two of my current glasses are 48 and 51. I have a round face so need the wider frames. Also want to avoid the round frames so looking at more angular ovals or modified rectangles. I want to make sure I have the best vision for driving but at the same time I do a lot of computer work.] 3) I’d rather not ‘experiment’ with the pricier brands to see which is better only to find there’s not much of a difference as they’re double in cost to Kodak. But if the difference is noticeable, I’d be willing to try. 4) I’ve been told Essilor is better for negative prescriptions and Nikon for plus prescriptions by one store who carries the top 3 — but two other stores who carry the 3 brands too recommended Nikon for me. Another store carries Kodak, Essilor and Nikon and quoted only on Kodak because that’s what they’re most familiar with. It seems very random, and expensive and drawn out (over years) to purchase the different brands each time you buy new glasses just to see which may work best for you — and given technology doesn’t remain static you may not be comparing apples to apples over the years. Thx very much.
Hello! I apologize for the very delayed reply (your comment got buried in the spam comments). I personally don’t have much experience with the Kodak lenses, but my guess would be the technology utilized for their progressives is not up to par with Nikon, Essilor, or Zeiss. Perhaps some of the lower tiered progressives are more on par with the Kodak lenses, but I don’t think they can compete with the high end lenses. To be completely honest, when you’re comparing their top tier progressives, it comes down to which design works best for you. For me personally, I’ve had a lot of success with the Nikon SeeMax Ultimate (all my patients who have tried it, love it and adapt within days). All of the top tier lenses are great in their own way. I’ve had patients do top tier for all three brands and they’ve been happy. I would just make sure that wherever you are buying the top tier lenses from, that they are taking the extra steps to make sure the lens is as customized to your needs as possible. If they aren’t taking the extra steps to take the extra measurements, they aren’t doing their job to ensure the lens is as tailored to your needs as possible. You may need to invest in different pairs of glasses for specific needs. Progressives are great for everyday, but when it comes to spending a lot of time on a computer (especially if you use multiple screens) they aren’t optimal. Computer progressives would work better and give you a wider field of view.
Again, sorry for the late reply. If you have more questions, feel free to email us 🙂
I’ve been wearing Nikon progressives for the past six years and have been happy; no adjustment period was necessary with these. I understand that Hoya is a less expensive alternative. How can I know if Hoya can work for me?
Hi Lynn,
If you are trying the same tier lens in Hoya (compared to Nikon – ie. high end Hoya to high end Nikon), it may take some time to adjust but it really depends on the person. Everyone’s adaptation is different and either more or less willing to try new things. As long as you’re not jumping from high end Nikon to lower tier Hoya I think it should be fine to switch between comparable lenses.