Good Lens Choice for my Rx?

Hi All,
Let me start off by mentioning I am an engineer by trade, but have
almost zero experience with optics. I am getting ready to get a new
set of glasses, and until recently was not picky about lenses. I
currently wear a set of lens crafter's "featherwates completes" with
AR coating and scratch coating, which I believe are plane-jane
polycarb. It is time to move on and get something better (and from
someone else), and up the ABBE value. My question is what brand/type/
material lens would be a good choice for me? I've read many good
things about "sola spectralight"...

My 2 year old perscription is listed below (havnt gotten my new eye
exam yet). I am picky about lens weight, thickness, and quality. It
has to have an AR coating, and be somewhat resistant to scratching. In
terms of cost lets say under $250-300 for the lenses.

Other factors: I wear my glasses all day, drive with them, and use a
computer 8-10 hours a day. I also watch a lot of HD material in my
home theater.

Reccomendations?

OD: -2.25 (sphere), -2.00 (cyl), 114 (axis)
OS: -1.50 (sphere), -2.00 (cyl), 077 (axis)

Thanks in advance,
--Eric

 

Almost forgot: One of my biggest complaints with my current lenses, is
that they are VERY hard to clean (the ar coating seems to make it
streak). I have even tried lens paper and eyeglass cleaner...

Thanks,

 

One recommendation is Hoya SV lenses with Phoenix material (trivex) that is
1.53 index, and the Hoya Super HiVision AR coating. Abbe is about 43. Trvex
works great in drill mount frames in case you were considering that (high
tensile strength).

They come in two designs:

- Hi-lux spherical: features a single central radius on the front surface
and, depending on the prescription, different radii on the back surface.
Very easy to fit accurately.

- Nulux aspheric: the radius leading from the centre of the front surface
to its edge becomes longer, and the radii form a purer focal point. This
results in less deformation in the periphery of the lens, and a slightly
flatter and thinner lens. Proper fitting (center of lens at the correct
pupil position) is a bit trickier than spherical lenses.

With your Rx the spherical would probably be fine unless you are very
concerned about thickness (a 1.53 or 1.54 lens will be a little thicker than
polycarb which is 1.59 index).

You can forget about the big chains having these. Call around to upscale
optical shops or an OD office with a dispensary.

The Sola Spectralite (1.54) with Sola UTMC AR coat may also be a good
option. Some large chains may carry this lens. I know that Walmart used to
carry some Sola, but not sure if they still do.

For good vision, stay out of Lenscrafters.

 

You can forget about the big chains having these. Call around to upscale

Thanks for the info.
Yeah - that's kinda what I thought... I already have an appointment,
but I made it prior to asking them what lenses I can actually get my
hands on. Needless to say, I will be calling them about that
tomorrow. Using the sola and zeiss service locators, I have found a
few places in town that *should* offer at least some decent products.
So its a start.

Learned that the hard way!

 

I resolved my lens cleaning issues when I got my first pair of them
new-fangled plastic lens 3 years ago ... go to your local harbor
freight and get their low-end ultrasonic cleaner (often $20 on sale,
$40 normal), put in 1/4 teaspoon of dishwashing detergent and a cup or
so of really warm water, dip the glasses for 10-30 seconds (watch that
dirt come out of the crevices in the mount, if yoou've not done this
in a few months), rinse in real warm tap water, then shake to dry. Our
water here has low disolved stuff and I never wipe them at all. I
used this technique years back in a high disolved solids environment,
and would touch remaining drops with "kleenex" style tissues or toilet
paper.

 

You should never use automatic dishwasher detergent on an AR coated lens. If
you mean the kind of detergent for washing manually, that "may" be OK.

 

a 1.6 index (mr8 material) with a super hi vision or alize type AR
coat. Good abbe (40) and thin.

 

ABSOLUTELY! I'm using Dawn or similar. That automatic type is very
agressive and abrasive.

 

I tried Spectralite in a bifocal and did not like it. Actually the
material is probably fine. They gave me an aspheric lens. The aspheric
surface is intended to make the lens thinner at the expense of good
vision. The view looks blurred around the edge, much as with
polycarbonate lenses but for a different reason. I went back to CR39.

 

I too use Dawn (way diluted, of course) on my glasses (glass),
and wipe with Bounty paper-towells (seem soft to me).

Question: how much cleaner will this ultrasonic thing get them?

And why and how?

THANKS!

David