Distance spectacles and reading spectacles

Reading and distance spectacles are the most common ways of improving vision. So what is it that makes these single vision lenses so special? And what are the key points to remember when choosing the best pair for you?

Single vision lenses are spectacle lenses that only have one dioptric power throughout the entire lens. They can be used to correct poor vision in either near or far viewing situations, which is why single vision lenses form the basis of both distance spectacles and reading spectacles. As well as offering different powers, these two popular types of spectacles also differ in their appearance: single vision lenses for long-sighted wearers are slightly thicker at the centre of the lens, while single vision lenses for short-sighted wearers are slightly thicker at the edges.
But whatever your prescription, modern ZEISS technology can produce extraordinarily flat and lightweight lenses, even for high prescriptions. And with a choice between four different quality performance tiers, you can pick the solution that best matches your individual vision needs and reading habits. This means that you will benefit from single vision spectacles that give you perfect vision – and a perfect appearance! You can find out more in the section on the ZEISS single vision lens portfolio further down this page.

Once people hit the age of 40, their close-up vision tends to deteriorate, and reading can become a challenging task, with words blurring together on the page. That's when reading spectacles help. Reading spectacles are made by tailoring single vision lenses to the wearer's individual reading distance, which is generally between 30 and 40 cm. As well as making life easier for people who enjoy curling up with a book, they can also be used to read the small text sizes often found on smart phones and tablets. Specially adjusted to each wearer's visual habits and typical reading distance, they restore people's ability to enjoy relaxed, fatigue-free vision at close distances – whatever their prescription.

They may be cheap, but that's just about the only point in their favour. Ready reader spectacles are now available from numerous supermarkets and other retailers, but these ready-made spectacles for reading fall far short of the standards required for a proper pair of spectacles. They are only available in 0.25 diopter increments – with the same strength for both eyes – and they are not tailored to the wearer's unique visual needs, which means they fail to take into account factors such as the distance between a person's eyes. That can cause prismatic effects and in some cases even prompt further deterioration in the wearer's vision, ultimately leading to strained eyes, headaches, nausea and even migraines. The fact is that off-the-shelf reading spectacles can never supply the optimum correction of your vision that you would typically expect from a qualified optician. There's no doubt that it's worth investing in a professionally fitted pair of reading spectacles – not just to benefit from your full vision potential, but also to improve your overall sense of well-being.

As their name implies, distance spectacles enable wearers to see distant objects more clearly. People generally start using them before they reach the age of 40. After this point the eye's ability to change its focus from one distance to another, known as the amplitude of accommodation, is no longer sufficient to see clearly at all distances. This results in a diminished ability to focus on near objects, a condition experts call presbyopia. Different solutions are then required to meet these contrasting needs, either by switching between distance spectacles and reading spectacles, or by switching to bifocal or progressive lenses.

Deciding which lens material is most suitable for you depends on a number of factors including the prescription powers you need, your wearing habits, and your personal taste in frame designs. Nowadays, however, the majority of eyeglass buyers choose plastic lenses. Glass lenses have become the exception, though they continue to have a loyal following thanks to certain key attributes.

Lenses made from glass – or 'mineral glass' as it is sometimes called – are particularly valued for their exceptional resistance to scratching. Another advantage of glass lenses is their relative thinness even with high prescriptions and their clarity thanks to their minimal colour dispersion (high Abbe number).

Lenses made from plastic, also known as 'organic glass', are suitable for all types of spectacles and are particularly popular for sports and children's spectacles. They are extremely lightweight and therefore comfortable to wear, they don't splinter, and they are highly resistant to breakage – up to a hundred times more resistant than glass depending on the material used. One disadvantage is that plastic lenses are less resistant to scratches than glass lenses. However, this can be at least partially remedied with a hard lens coating – something that ZEISS offers as standard on all its lenses! Plastic lenses also have the edge when it comes to style: while glass lenses can only be made in a few different colours and are relatively difficult to tint, plastic lenses can be produced in virtually any colour. So if you're looking for spectacles with coloured lenses as a fashion accessory, then plastic is definitely the way to go! Plastic lenses are available in special contrast-enhancing colours either with or without polarisation filters and in self-tinting versions (ZEISS PhotoFusion X). Find out more about plastic and glass lenses…

As always, your optician is the best person to provide you with detailed information on which lens material is most suitable for you.

Tip for drivers: When it comes to choosing the best spectacles for driving, plastic lenses are always the best choice because they are resistant to breakage and cannot splinter, which means they are less likely to cause injury in unexpected circumstances such as an airbag inflating.