Do you sell glass or plastic lenses?

We supply plastic lenses only. We offer a full range of standard plastic lenses in the range of +/_ 6 dioptre spheres and cylinders up to 2 dioptres.

What power range do you supply in your lenses?

In standard CR39 plastic we supply in the range + or – six to a 2 cyl
In 1.6, 1.67 and 1.74 see our set power range in the spheres. Only to a 2 D cylinder.

I’ve got bad eyesight will my lenses look thick?

You can choose higher index lenses to make you lenses look thinner and lighter. You can also be selective in the type of frame you choose to help reduce any unsightly thickness in your glasses. If you are not sure about something then give us a call.

When I put on my glasses my eyes look big, what can I do?

Use an antireflective coating on the lenses to cut down on the magnification effect of your lenses. This will reduce the tendency of your glasses to make your eyes look big.

When I put on my glasses my eyes look smaller and you see what seem like rings around the lenses?

In this situation you need to consider an antireflection coating on the surface of your lenses to reduce the tendency of this to occur when wearing your glasses.

My lenses look awful thick around the edges, what can I do?

Try a higher index lens to cut the thickness of the lens. Also choose a frame similar to your PD and be selective in your frame choice, try looking at frames that have more substantial frames to cover the thickness of your lenses. If you are worried your prescription will look thick or unsuitable then give us a call and we can discuss it with you over the phone.

My lenses look awful thick in the middle, what can I do?

Try a higher index lens to cut the thickness of the lens. Also choose a frame similar to your PD and be selective in your frame choice, try looking at frames that are more oval or round to cover the thickness of your lenses. Stay away from very angular narrow frames. If you are worried your prescription will look thick or unsuitable then give us a call and we can discuss it with you over the phone.

Would my prescription look ok in a rimless or semi rimless frame?

If you are worried your prescription will look thick or unsuitable then give us a call and we can discuss it with you over the phone.

What material do you use in your lenses?

We use a wide variety of materials and they are indicated on the options menu in the lens ordering section.

Plastic lenses made of CR39 are lighter than glass, safer on impact than glass and can be hard coated to improve scratch resistance, anti-reflective coated to reduce glare and reflection off the lens surface, enhance vision and improve the cosmetic look of the lens. They can also be tinted and UV coated.

Hi-index 1.6 plastic lenses are available to give you a thinner lighter lens. They come with hard coating and anti-reflection coating as standard. Compared to a similar power CR39 lens they are much lighter and thinner and give you more comfort and a better looking lens in your glasses.

Hi-index 1.67 plastic lenses offer you an even thinner lens than the 1.6 hi-index plastic but still having the hard coating and antireflection coating as standard. You will benefit from the comfort of a lighter thinner lens in your glasses.

Hi index 1.74 plastic lenses are the thinnest and lightest lenses on the market. If you have a high prescription they are well worth considering as they will cut down the thickness of your lenses and your glasses will be a lot more comfortable and look a lot better on you.

Consider higher index lenses if your regular lenses are considered thick or bulky. Give us a call or e mail if you’d like a recommendation as to what lens type would suit your prescription

Can I get bifocals and/or varifocal/progressives?

At the moment we do not supply these lenses but we aim to do so in the future.

What do different parts of my prescription mean?

The numbers the optician writes on your prescription will tell us what strength glasses you need. Yon can be short sighted or long sighted. Sometimes you can have astigmatism alone or along with being short or long sighted. Some people need additional help to see close up objects and may have an add written on their prescription. Spheres tell if your long or short sighted. Cylinders and axis tell how much astigmatism you have and in what position it is present. The add tells how much help you need to see close objects. Some adds are written for close or intermediate objects. This reflects the requirements you have. A near add is for close up and an intermediate add is for further away, usually about arms length away from you. Prism is prescribed in your glasses to keep the line of vision in the left and right eye properly aligned. When prescribed prisms reduce eye strain and/or double vision and it is necessary to have the prism amount and direction denoted in the base direction such as up, down, in or out.

If you want to discuss your prescription please feel free to contact us.

What type of tinted lenses can I get?

We can offer fixed tints or lenses that tint when you go out in the sun. Just pick the option you require from the options menu. The options on the colour of your tint are provided in the options menu.

Do you sell polarised lenses?

Yes we do. They are an option in the tinted lens menu. They are a great option if you want to reduce glare while having your sunglasses on.

Can I get lenses that change and go dark in the sun?

They are an option in the tinted lens menu.

What is a polycarbonate lens?

This type of plastic lens is a very impact resistant material. Lighter and thinner than standard plastic as it is a higher index material. It is prone to scratching so we advise you to consider putting a hard coating on the lens surface to improve its durability.

What type of coated lens can I get?

We offer an option of a hard coating on the lens surface to improve durability of the lens to reduce scratches. It is not scratch proof so you still need to be careful with the lens. If you leave the lens face down on a surface it will scratch so leave the frame face up to reduce the chance of damage.

We offer an option of an antireflection (also called antiglare coating). This works to protect the lens surface and add durability to your lenses but it also stops annoying reflections off the lens surfaces. This allows other people to see your eyes better and also for you to see out of your glasses easier. It also cuts down on magnification effects, minification effects and power rings on your glasses. This makes your glasses cosmetically better and your eyes more natural looking through your glasses.

Do you sell thinned down lenses?

Yes we do. The index of the lens tells you how thin the lens will be. As the index gets higher the lens gets thinner. Thus 1.74 is thinner than 1.67 which is thinner than 1.6 and so on. The thinner and lighter the lens option is available to choose from the options box.

What kind of bifocal segment do you put in the glasses?

At the moment we do not supply bifocals but we hope to do so later. When we have a option to do this we will list the types of bifocals we offer.

Prescription Abbreviations

Can you read my prescription from my old glasses?

Yes we can, providing you can confirm that they aren't more than two years old.

Can you fit new lenses in my old spectacles?

Yes we can, but please bear in mind your old glasses may look fine to you, but when a technician takes them apart he may find they have been overstressed or damaged, which means new lenses can't be fitted. So if we do try to fit them, any damage to the frame has to be at your risk.

If you would like us to do this please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call us on 087 911 01 35.

Do you offer prescription sunglasses?

Yes we do. You can order glasses with prescription sunglass lenses, by choosing a tint and then specifying a UV400 coating.

We also offer Transition lenses and Polarised lenses that can be made to your prescription.

Can I have my lenses tinted?

Yes you can. We can tint them brown, grey,or green. Or if there is a particular colour you would like let us know in the additional comments box, we'll do our best to match it.

We also offer various intensities of solid tints and graduated tints. A graduated tint is lighter at the bottom of the lens and darker at the top.

In solid tints you can either have 20% which is for light fashion tints, 50% which is good for driving and all round out door protection from the sun, but isn't suitable for protection against strong sun situations such as midday sun reflecting on water. Or we can tint to 80% density, which gives good protection from the bright sun and can be beneficial if you have sensitive eyes.

Brown, grey and green are the most common tints for sunglasses.

Brown is good because it allows the widest light spectrum through the eye while blocking blue light and giving maximum contrast. This is important if you need to be judging distances all the time, for example if playing tennis. It is also good for lower light situations such as fishing in the early morning or late afternoon.

Grey is best for bright light situations such as water sports as it blocks out the brightest of the sun's rays.

Green can help to accentuate yellow and white colours, which can be handy on the golf course.

Although ABC Opticians don’t supply colours other than brown, grey or green you may be interested in the following information. Pink tints can be attractive at 20% density to give a warm glow to the face. Yellow tints heighten contrast without blocking too much light, so they can be good for night driving or for shooting and skiing on cloudy days. Blue tints, well, they are just more of a fashion thing.

Remember for sunglasses, if you want to protect your eyes from the damaging ultra violet rays of the sun you will want to have a UV400 protection coating as well as a tint.