Lens materials Flashcards
what would the choice of lens material influence ?
the choice of lens material will influence
- vision
- comesis - look of lens
- weight- therefore the comfort
- safety
what the lens properties ?
. durability . refractive index . density and specific gravity . curve variation factor . V value . reflectance . UV cut off
what is durability ?
the ability of a material to withstand wear and tear , pressure and damage
how to measure durability ?
. impact resistance - which is the ability of a material to withstand a high force or shock applied to it over a short period of time
. materials are tested with the drop ball test and graded in terms of impact resistance
. effected by the elasticity of the material
- if elasticity of material is good then when hit by an object , the lens will be able to bend and flex and absorb some of the energy from impact
. elasticity is also effected by glazing as the lens needs some room to flex
. greatly effects the safety of the lens
what also is durability in relation with ?
- durability is also in relation to how hard/soft a material is - so how much it scratches
- can also be in relation to chemical resistance
what type of lens has high impact resistance but soft and scratches easily ?
polycarbonate
what do we need to take into account when thinking about durability ?
- which aspect of durability is important to our patient
. impact resistance
. hard/soft material
. chemical resistance
what does the refractive index of material refer to ?
- refractive index of material refers to the density of material
- the higher the refractive index the denser the material
what happen in a dense material ?
. denser material = higher refractive index
. the more dense the material the more light will reduce in speed and the more light will refract as it enters the material
how to achieve the same overall power lens ?
less curvature unless lens material is required
what does flatter curvature mean ?
flatter curvature = thinner lens
what is the equation of refractive index ?
n= velocity of light in air / velocity of light in medium
what does it mean when higher refractive index are denser ?
. this means less high index material is required than a lower refractive index material to refract light by the same amount
. therefore a higher refractive index lens is thinner than a lower refractive index lens of the same power
how is refractive index expressed ?
refractive index is expressed as a ratio relative to air n=1
what is the lowest refractive index available in plastic ?
CR39 = 1.498
what is the lowest refractive index available in glass ?
crown glass = 1.523
what is polycarbonate ?
it’s a thermoplastic polymer and this means that it can be moulded and remoulded by heating and cooling