When eye safety is a concern, you need a lens that can handle anything life throws at it. Eye protection is serious business and at Payne Glasses, we’re here to help with the ins and outs of protective eyewear. If you’re comparing polycarbonate and Trivex lenses, you’re not alone as these are the two most common materials used for protective eyewear. Both are lightweight and both deliver excellent protection against a wide variety of hazards, so how do you know which one to choose?

Polycarbonate Lenses

Polycarbonate lenses are thinner than Trivex lenses, so if you’re a firm believer that less is more, polycarbonate lenses are the way to go. A thinner lens has the advantage of working in more frames and just taking up less space in general. In terms of protection, polycarbonate is significantly more impact-resistant than other types of lenses and can also be coated to block 100 percent of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. The combination of impact resistance, UV protection and lightweight construction make polycarbonate lenses a favorite for safety glasses and children’s eyewear.

Polycarbonate lenses have been around since the 1970s and are now the standard for safety glasses, sports goggles and children’s eyewear. They’re a popular choice for rimless glasses as well as they are less likely to shatter. Polycarbonate lenses are made from a thermoplastic material that is melted and rapidly injected into molds before being compressed under high pressure and cools into a finished lens. The process only takes a matter of minutes.

Trivex Lenses

Like polycarbonate lenses, Trivex lenses make great safety glasses because they’re also impact-resistant and can be coated to be UV blocking. Trivex has a lower specific gravity than polycarbonate, so it weighs less even though the material tends to be thicker. Trivex lenses first made their way to the market around 2001 and were well-received as an impact-resistant alternative to polycarbonate.

If you’re on the hunt for prescription safety glasses, Trivex lenses are the clear choice. The lenses are made from a urethane-based monomer and are molded in a method similar to the way that regular plastic lenses are made. Trivex lenses have better optics than polycarbonate lenses, leaving you with clearer vision.

Choosing the Right Lenses

Now that you know a little bit about polycarbonate and Trivex lenses, it’s time to choose which one is right for your eyewear needs. If your main concern is thickness, polycarbonate lenses are 10 percent thinner than Trivex lenses. If you’re worried about weight, Trivex lenses are 10 recent lighter than polycarbonate lenses. If you’re worried about optical clarity, Trivex lenses are better for prescription safety glasses. If impact-resistance is your number one priority, Trivex and polycarbonate perform similarly. Both types of lenses can also block 100 percent of UV light. In terms of pricing, Trivex can be a little more expensive than polycarbonate, which is not only less expensive, but also more widely available.

If you’re on the hunt for safety glasses, make sure to carefully consider the differences between polycarbonate and Trivex lenses to get the right fit for your needs. For prescription safety glasses, talk to your optician for more information about which type of lens would work the best with your prescription and budget.