The Difference between Stock, Digital and HD Lenses
Have you wondered how your lenses are made? In general, there are two types of ways to make lenses using advanced technology.
The two types are:
- Pre-manufactured Lenses
- Custom Manufactured Lenses
Pre-manufactured Lenses
These type of lenses also commonly known as “Stock” lenses undergo a cast moulding process where plastic is injected into a mold of a single particular prescription. After the mold cools, the lens is popped out and polished. These lenses are pre-manufactured with a certain base curve, prescription and blank size. The lenses are then coated with anti-glare, anti-scratch or both, and packaged for retail. Once the lens is finished, optical or optometry retailers will offer these lenses for customers based on their visual needs.
Custom Manufactured Lenses
Digital lenses aka. Surfaced lenses are made by taking a blank piece of plastic (without any prescription in it) and grinding the prescription into the plastic. These lenses are custom made from a mold that can be manufactured with a custom base curve, prescription and blank size. Digital lenses have a more advanced manufacturing process using top of line technology to enhance quality and performance. Our digital Kodak Lenses use i-SyncTM Technology to create a single vision lens that delivers greater clarity and performance at all prescription powers. This technology allows 1/100th diopter prescription lens accuracy that provides incredibly clear vision for a truly unmatched visual experience.
Free Form lenses are a special type of digital lens that gives the absolute best possible optical quality. Free Form is a revolutionary digital manufacturing process that uses computer-aided design and surfacing to create high-level, customized eyeglass lenses with your unique prescription.
Think about the first time you saw high-definition television. Remember how it made your old analog TV picture seem pixelated and blurry? High-definition makes colours brighter, shapes sharper, and brought everything keenly into focus. Now imagine having the same experience with your eyeglasses. Sure, you can probably see fine with the ones you have, just like watching analog TV was fine, but what if you could upgrade to high-definition for your eyes? If you want to experience high-definition, try Free Form single vision Persona HD or Kodak Lens progressive lenses that are made specifically for your eyes and eyewear.
Pre-manufactured Lenses
Advantages:
- Great for Single Vision Prescriptions (SPH: +3.75 to -6.00 & CYL: 0.00 to -2.00)
- Faster Turnaround Times (convenience)
- Affordable (Least Expensive)
Disadvantages:
- Limited prescription and blank sizes
- Average optical quality due to increased internal stress in the lens
- As the mold cools, different parts of the lens harden at an unequal rate creating internal stress which leads to minor visual distortions. Noticeable for certain prescriptions and eye sensitivity.
- Does not factor in frame point of wear measurements such as OC/seg height, pantoscopic tilt, wrap angle, back vertex distance
Custom Manufactured Lenses
Advantages:
- Can create almost any prescription this way (high SPH, CYL, ADD and Prism)
- Lack internal stress, so have better optical quality than stock lenses
- Customized prescription with base curve and OC/seg height specification
- Can fit any frame shape and accommodate wrap for less distortion (blank can be made in any size)
Disadvantages:
- More cost, as these are custom made lenses, but definitely worth it
Free Form HD Lenses
Advantages:
- Exceptional night/low light vision: Free-form lenses can reduce glare and halo effects caused by light sources at night, such as car headlights
- Exceptional contrast perception: Free-form lenses can sharpen vision
- Exceptional colour vision: Free-form lenses can maximize the optics built into your lenses, providing brighter and more intense colours
- Can create almost any prescription this way (high SPH, CYL, ADD and Prism)
- Lack internal stress, so have better optical quality than stock lenses
- Customized prescription with base curve and OC/seg height specification
- Customized prescription with eyewear point of wear measurements such as pantoscopic tilt, wrap and back vertex distance
- Can fit any frame shape and accommodate wrap for less distortion (blank can be made in any size)
Disadvantages:
- More cost, as these are custom made and high definition lenses, but definitely worth it
Stock lenses are like buying a one-size-fits-all suit, a digital/surfaced lens is buying a suit in your size off-the-rack, and freeform lenses are like getting a tailor-made suit
We offer all these visual solution lenses to our customers and would like to educate you about all the different lenses available.
Known for quality and superior optical technology, Kodak Lenses is a dependable brand you know and trust.