Bifocal glasses are generally believed to have been invented by Benjamin Franklin, who was both nearsighted and farsighted. This issue tends to develop as we age. As we grow older, the lenses in our eyes become less flexible.
The bifocals of today have far outpaced what was available in Franklin’s time. While Franklin stuck pieces of two different types of glasses together, many modern bifocals are no-line bifocals.
In addition to bifocals, we also have transition lenses, which enhance your vision across multiple settings.
We can even combine the two into transition bifocal glasses. You may be asking how these differ from regular bifocals and transition glasses. Also, why would somebody need anything more than bifocals?
We’ll talk more about that in the paragraphs below.
A Note on Light and Radiation
You’ve probably heard of ultraviolet light at some point. Often abbreviated as UV, ultraviolet light can be hazardous.
This has to do with the energy content of UV light. Radiation comes in the form of a spectrum. On one end of this spectrum are low-energy waves, which are responsible for things like radio and television.
Low-energy waves are somewhat sluggish compared to other forms of radiation. They move around, but they don’t have much interaction with atoms or molecules.
High-energy radiation is different. As it moves through the world, high-energy radiation has the potential to knock electrons away from atoms, creating ions. This can potentially lead to cancer.
High-energy radiation is found in gamma rays, x-rays, and sunlight.
What are Transition Lenses?
Transition Lenses are a special kind of lens that’s designed to reduce the amount of UV radiation the wearer is exposed to. The lenses in these glasses are made with a material that absorbs UV rays, preventing them from reaching your skin or eyes.
We’ve already mentioned that UV rays can potentially cause cancer. It’s worth noting that they can’t get past our skin, so the only type of cancer they cause is skin cancer. The majority of skin cancers occur due to sun exposure, so anything you can do to block out UV rays is worth it.
As the UV rays are absorbed, it darkens the lenses, which turns them into sunglasses. The lenses adapt based on how much sunlight is in the air. Once you’re inside, the lenses will become clear again.
Since transition lenses are designed to reduce radiation exposure and glare, they don’t conflict with bifocals. Transition bifocal glasses do exist, and we’re proud to sell them.
In fact, transition lenses you can get transition lenses in single vision, bifocal, and progressive lenses. There are even bifocal reading glasses They’re an incredibly popular type of glasses, and their volume is 15,000 globally.
If you already have reading glasses but hate being confined to the house, it may be a good idea to invest in transition bifocal glasses.
Transition Glasses
Transition glasses are glasses that combine the corrective elements of bifocals with the UV protection and adaptability of transition lenses. We’ve talked a bit about transition lenses and bifocals in this article, but it never hurts to talk to your optometrist if you have any questions or concerns.
If you live in the Houston area and are in need of glasses please visit our site. We encourage you to read more about us if you’re still unsure.