New specs time.
Due to my dodgy old eyes, lenses can cost a bit (short / long sighted and astigmatism in one). I generally get high index lenses or one looks FAT. But my biggest bug is the coatings. UV, AR, upsale upsale.... But scratch resistant coatings seems to be worse now than they used to be. I've got pairs of Rupp and Hubrach lenses from 10-15 years ago which look a darn sight better than some of the lenses and frames I've got that are 1-2 years old.
So question is, has anyone experienced actual scratch proof coatings? Seems whatever coatings go on, they scratch off easily, and yeah I'm super careful cleaning them (warm water, washing up liquid and soft lint free cloth to pat dry). Last pair of specs cost me $1300 (Oakley frames, Transition Lenses, High Index, "AI Technology" whatever that is, plus AR coatings.... Crazy.)
Part of me thinks there must be something new/good. Thinking about phone screens with Gorilla glass and "sapphire" coatings?
Or, (cynic mode) is there no such thing, as then your only option is to purchase new lenses?
Discuss.
I get Bolle Tryon RX (through Boots), pretty cheap on the grand scheme of things. they are predominantly for work, however the original set is now downgraded to MTB and m/cycle duties.
They have lasted REALLY well (in respect to the abuse and scratch resistance), and are very comfy!
I don't know how the lenses would fare with your bulbous eye though 😉
I've had all sorts over the years - Zeiss, Nikon, Hoya, Shamir, Essilor - and haven't noticed any difference in the coatings. I don't think anti-scratch coatings will help against something hard and sharp but will prevent tiny scratches which can quite often be caused by cleaning due to debris on the lenses or just wind blown particles. I rinse mine before washing with soap. My optician warned me off washing up liquid as she said some of the additives can damage the coating.
I sympathise with the cost issue, I just got a new pair - high index, varifocal, photochromic, anti scratch. £1000. OK very expensive titanium frames are part of that, but good lenses are fearsomely expensive. Oh and a couple days in, guess what? I scratched them. I have never, ever scratched a pair of specs but this time... Luckily it's invisible when wearing them so I'll put up with it.
As for additional cost of coatings, it's pretty small compared to the total cost so I just always tick the box as a matter of course.
It's not bulbous it's rugby ball shaped. :p
Also forgot to mention I'm not in UK but generally coatings are globally available.
Just looked at my last receipt....
Oakley OX3217 Frame $236
Plast 1.74 VARILUX XR FIT lenses $1190 (Grey Transition lenses + Crizal Sapphire HR UV DualSide coating)
Did get some back through my health fund, and a $200 from work being a VDU user but still.... NHS specs they certainly ain't!
Oh and a couple days in, guess what? I scratched them
Yup, that's what happened 4 weeks into owning mine. I noticed a mark on the lense and I was thinking, fkn great that's a good start. What are they gonna look like in twelve months?
25 years in glasses, my opinion is that effort spent on looking after them and cleaning them properly makes more of a difference than any of the coatings available, having tried all sorts.
I just turn it all down, get the basic, bog standard lenses and try my absolute best to keep them clean.
Realistically, how long is it before your dodgy old eyes are going to need a different prescription anyway? I'll wager it won't be 10-15 years any more.
I've always declined the various options on mine (because as you say, upsell-tastic), but I'm a different use case as I primarily use them for driving and Xbox so they spend most of their time in a case when they're not on my face. That led to an amusing Sales conversation: "We can do an anti-rain coating." No thanks, it doesn't rain inside my car. "How about this coating which reduces marks?" (scribbles on the lens with a marker and wipes it off) WTF do you suppose I'm doing jabbing a felt-tip in my eyes whilst driving? Etc. I might have agreed to the anti-glare, I don't remember now.
In your case I'd probably look at lens thinning. A mate has this but one eye is considerably worse than the other so without extreme thinning on that single lens his glasses used to sit at like a 15' angle.
Oh and a couple days in, guess what? I scratched them
I'd be taking those back as Not Of Satisfactory Quality, exponentially so at that price!
My script has actually not changed all that much in 15 years tbh as my old R&H are still wearable single visions. In fact there was a tiny improvement last time I got an eye test which is nice (being T1 for 30 odd years). The issue is now I'm on multifocals for my "main" daily's so my older single vision bike glasses are useless if I wanna read anything. But I can make out cars in front of me hehe. Just.
I already get the thinnest lenses I can afford, and there's certain frames and sizes of lenses which just don't work with my script. Thicker more "funky" frames as opposed to ultra slim ti or carbon frames work fine. I think 1.74 is the highest index (or was this time last year). Too much thinning on the lense for light frames, screws up the prescription in certain areas.
I'll have a chat to the optometrist. Been going there for yonks and I do like them. Just amazes me that in 2026 we can't buy something that's a bit more robust for us outdoors types.
I'd be taking those back as Not Of Satisfactory Quality, exponentially so at that price!
I'm pretty sure this wasn't a failure of the coating - more a case of careless handling. As I said before no coating will help against something hard and sharp.
My latest pair of glasses are all the bells and whistles in terms of coating on a mid index (my max is about 1.6 on an astigmatism) on a frame I got off eBay and got glazed at Reglaze Glasses Direct. they cost me under £300 all in which was less than 1/2 what my optician was quoting (for frames I didn't really like). I couldn't justify £700 for new windows so RGD work well.
Coatings are holding up well so far 3 months in.
Plast 1.74 VARILUX XR FIT lenses $1190 (Grey Transition lenses + Crizal Sapphire HR UV DualSide coating)
That is wild, even for the US(?). I have chunkier Oakleys and found they didn't need thinner than 1.67. Reglazing with single vision lenses and standard AR coating was about €200ish. Transitions will add to that of course, but not $1k...
I'm pretty sure this wasn't a failure of the coating - more a case of careless handling. As I said before no coating will help against something hard and sharp.
Even so... after two days that's poor, surely? At worst I'd be hoping for a 'gesture of goodwill' repair.
I had something similar with my first ever pair. They were off in ways Specsavers wouldn't accept and dismissed as me just needing to get used to wearing glasses. I discovered through experimentation that they needed to be more wrap-around than they were so I put a slight bend in the bridge. This improved them greatly but still weren't right, so I put a bit more of a bend into the bridge and snapped the ****ing things clean in half. I took them back to Specsavers with egg on my face instead of glasses and they replaced them without any charge or fuss.
We've been warned-off using antibacterial hand-wash for cleaning lenses, so I can well believe washing up liquid would be similarly damaging; isn't it usually a bit salty? I always do mine with actual soap (ie a bar of) in the shower, and the coatings seem to survive that for a couple of years perfectly fine. Frames break sooner in my experience.
I was told many years ago that plastic lenses are manufactured with anti-scratch coatings.
Paying extra for this shouldn't be necessary and some UK opticians no longer charge.
If you find that modern coatings don't last then that's possibly a manufacturing issue. IANAO
I've got some fairly old Rad8's with high index lenses (that come with ultraclear).
They are still scratch free, I try not to wipe mud off them but inevitably sometimes still do if I'm riding quickly and get mud on them. Very impressed.
We've been warned-off using antibacterial hand-wash for cleaning lenses, so I can well believe washing up liquid would be similarly damaging; isn't it usually a bit salty?
Yes, I can remember years ago being advised not to use washing up liquid to clean my bikes and car because of this. If/when I finally get around to cleaning my bikes I’ll use what I use on the car.
As far as glasses are concerned, I buy boxes of lens cleaning tissues from my local Pound Shop, they’re something like £1 for a box of 50, and they’re the best thing I’ve found for cleaning smears, fingerprints and water marks, I always try to keep two or three in each case. I haven’t needed prescription glasses for around four years now, thankfully, that’s saved me a fair bit that I can spend on archery and bike stuff!
That is wild, even for the US(?). I have chunkier Oakleys and found they didn't need thinner than 1.67. Reglazing with single vision lenses and standard AR coating was about €200ish. Transitions will add to that of course, but not $1k...
Now go for 1.74 varifocals.
I can well believe washing up liquid would be similarly damaging; isn't it usually a bit salty?
Yes, salt is used to control the viscosity in "cleansing liquids" - including shampoo, shower gel etc. However, for washing up liquids I'd be pointing the finger at citric acid (from the lemon or lime scents) in terms of more damage to coatings.
re washing up liquid - it's non scented and I only use a tiny amount, like a dot on each lense and a gentle wipe/rinse.
Couger - I did actually email about the quality of the lenses getting marked so early on. I'm generally very careful with my specs, been a wearer since I was 6 / 7 (lol) and I've just turned 50. I don't wipe them on a t shirt / clothing. I generally don't use the Oakley bag even though it's meant to be OK for cleaning, you just can't see the tiny fragments that could cause a scratch.
As with most things, I forget and move on and leave things too long. But AFAIK they didn't email back. But I'm due another appt and new frames / lenses so I'll mention it and see if I can blag some kind of discount. I did think overall I was saving a bit of cash getting transition lenses but they don't go dark enough for this level of sun and IIRC it's cheaper to get specs and sunnies as 2 pairs than one set of do it all "ish" frame and lenses.
Still thought, I'm amazed how the Rupp and Hubrach I got in 2009 are still bloody mint. That's beaches, biking, roughty toughty play fights with the kids etc etc.
That is wild, even for the US(?). I have chunkier Oakleys and found they didn't need thinner than 1.67. Reglazing with single vision lenses and standard AR coating was about €200ish. Transitions will add to that of course, but not $1k...
Australia $s
It is. But as pointed out, high index, varifocals with coatings six hundred quid or thereabouts. But I did get $200 back from my health fund and I can claim 200 from work every 3 years.
The problem with big frames is getting the lense accurate in all sections. If it's thinned too much the script is off.
Just lick them and give them a wipe on your jumper. 😆
That's what she said!