Do polycarbonate eyeglass lenses naturally protect from UV rays?

When I get eyeglasses I always get polycarbonate lenses. The people always ask if I want to add a UV protection coating. Someone has told me that the nature of polycarbonate material protects from UV rays. Is that correct? I don't want to keep paying for an add on I don't really need.

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Answers (4)

walkingthesky

05/05/2015

Pure polycarbonate does not provide protection from UV light but the type of polycarbonate used for outside purposes including for glass lenses, has UV stabilizers added to it to protect it from the harmful rays. Without these stabilizers the material would soon turn yellow. This means you do not need any additional coating added to the lenses to increase their UV protection. The same is true of regular glass lenses as well. It is stated the extra UV coating is not needed. Polycarbonate, while very lightweight and shatter resistant, does tend to scratch easily so a scratch resistant coating may be a good idea.

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Alexia

05/14/2015

Glasses with polycarbonate lenses naturally protect your eyes from UV rays. The polycarbonate material is a natural UV filter, blocking over 99 percent of the sun's damaging UV rays without the need for special lens coatings. Though polycarbonate is an extremely impact-resistant material, it can be easily scratched if not protected with a surface coating.Most polycarbonate eyeglass lenses come with a factory-applied, scratch-resistant coating to keep the lenses clear for as long as possible.

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Lindsay

05/05/2015

Polycarbonate lenses offer the highest degree of protection to keep eyes out of harm's way. Polycarbonate can be found in bulletproof windows, airplane windows, and riot police shields. The material is 10 times more impact-resistant than other plastics, and exceeds the FDA's resistance requirements by over 40 times. Chances are you won't be able to break such strong lenses.Polycarbonate lenses also protect the eyes from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The polycarbonate material is a natural UV filter, blocking over 99 percent of the sun's damaging UV rays without the need for special lens coatings. Overexposure to UV rays has been associated with cataracts and other eye problems.

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duncan

05/14/2015

Naturally, the polycarbonate with natural UV filter is a reason why it became a popular choice among people. Its light weight design, thinness, superior impact resistance and built-in UV protection are another reasons why polycarbonate lenses should be recommended for eyeglasses wearers. Its natural UV filter offer UVA/UVB protection to children has been shown to help prevent vision problems in the future, such as cataracts and macular degeneration. So, you do not need to pay any extra money for the UV protection coating.

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Jumpto