The Safest Lens Material for Kids

By Gretchyn Bailey; updates by Gary Heiting, OD

If your child needs glasses, keeping his or her vision safe should be your first priority. Polycarbonate lenses offer the highest degree of protection to keep eyes out of harm's way.

The polycarbonate material used for eyeglass lenses was developed by the aerospace industry for use in helmet visors worn by astronauts.

Polycarbonate can also be found in bulletproof windows, airplane windows, and riot police shields. The material is 10 times more impact-resistant than other plastics, and exceeds the FDA's resistance requirements by over 40 times. Chances are your child won't be able to break such strong lenses.

Tough, Thin, Lightweight Lenses

Opting for polycarbonate lenses in your child's glasses protects vision by holding up to rough-and-tumble play or sports without cracking or shattering. Many eye care practitioners insist on polycarbonate lenses for children's eyeglasses for safety reasons.

And people with vision in only one eye are well advised to wear glasses with polycarbonate lenses to protect their remaining vision, even if they don't require prescription eyeglasses to see clearly.

Polycarbonate lenses offer other benefits as well. The material is lighter than standard plastic or glass, which is good news for youngsters with strong prescriptions. Glasses aren't as heavy, so they don't constantly slide down on the nose.

Because polycarbonate lenses are about 20 percent thinner than standard plastic or glass lenses, they also are a good choice for anyone who wants a more attractive look.

UV Protection

Polycarbonate lenses also protect the eyes from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The polycarbonate material is a natural UV filter, blocking over 99 percent of the sun's damaging UV rays without the need for special lens coatings.

This is particularly important for children's eyewear because kids typically spend more time outdoors than adults. Some researchers believe that over 80 percent of a person's lifetime UV exposure takes place by age 18. Overexposure to UV rays has been associated with cataracts and other eye problems.

Scratch Resistant Coatings

Though polycarbonate is an extremely impact-resistant material, it can be easily scratched if not protected with a surface coating. All polycarbonate eyeglass lenses come with a factory-applied, scratch-resistant coating to keep the lenses clear for as long as possible, even when worn by children. And most polycarbonate lenses are sold with a warranty against scratches for a specified period of time. Ask your optician for details. [Read more information on polycarbonate lenses].

[Page updated September 2007]