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Thread: Is there a purpose to AR on the back side of a lens?

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    Is there a purpose to AR on the back side of a lens?

    Is there a purpose to AR on the back (closer to eye) side of the lens? My understanding is this would only be useful if the lens was large enough where light from behind the lens would strike it. Light coming from in front of the lens would be seen no differently whether the lens had antiglare on the rear side correct?

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    Some people do this on sunglasses to reduce reflections from the back side of the lens.

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    Yea this is pretty much the only observable difference i could think of is if you had a big pair of sunglasses that hang over your face.

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    OptiBoard Professional Dustin.B's Avatar
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    It's not just sunglasses, I've seen the back reflection issue with regular glasses as well it just depends on the nearby lighting really.
    ~Dustin B. AboC

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    Blue Jumper people do this on sunglasses to reduce reflections ................

    Quote Originally Posted by Speed View Post

    Some people do this on sunglasses to reduce reflections from the back side of the lens.
    Yes some people do.

    However it is another gimmick to make more sales for more money.

    Who likes it best ...............the optician that sold it.

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    Or if you have a ridiculous Rx like me (-16.00/-10.00). Growing up in the 70's and 80's when the frames were all ginormous, I could pretty much see everything going on behind me. When I got my first pair w/ AR on them, it made a HUGE difference. Now that my frames are smaller, it may not make that much of a difference, but I'd rather not find out.

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    Yea unless I was a professional outfielder in the MLB i'd prefer not to have any AR on my sunglasses rather than the back side only. One less thing to damage.

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    -16 /-10 ? That almost seems like you'd need AR on the side too, do you have a preference with them being polished or not polished? i imagine polished would look better cosmetically but probably function worse since they would let more light in

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    Light comes to us from all directions and will reflect from the ocular surface back into the eye regardless of the lens size. Hence, front and back surface on clear/photochromatic ophthalmic lenses.
    I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it. Mark Twain

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    Quote Originally Posted by sdgibbs View Post
    -16 /-10 ? That almost seems like you'd need AR on the side too, do you have a preference with them being polished or not polished? i imagine polished would look better cosmetically but probably function worse since they would let more light in
    Always been roll & polish. Vanity won that battle, I guess. Except when I was a kid. Nothing but glass! Out of curiosity I just measured outside thickness of current od. 9 mm.

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    No matter what size a sunglass frame is I see the reflection of my eyes and eyebrows in the lens, if I don't have AR on the cc surface.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Paul Smith LDO View Post
    Light comes to us from all directions and will reflect from the ocular surface back into the eye regardless of the lens size. Hence, front and back surface on clear/photochromatic ophthalmic lenses.
    This is exactly why backside AR as well, whether you notice it or not UV light IS bouncing off the back of your lens especially on smaller frames. And also for the stronger myops it will reduce visual reflections and add a nice scratch resistance to the backside as well.

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    I am plano, and I require backside ARC on all my sunglasses (wrap or flat). Call me picky, but those little reflections do bug me.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sdgibbs View Post
    Is there a purpose to AR on the back (closer to eye) side of the lens? My understanding is this would only be useful if the lens was large enough where light from behind the lens would strike it. Light coming from in front of the lens would be seen no differently whether the lens had antiglare on the rear side correct?
    Purpose 1) To leave desired front side appearance of a lens intact.
    2) To partially improve light transmission through the lens.........while leaving some of the raw lens cosmetic appearance intact.
    3) To combat the often mirror-like surfaces reflections created in lenses that are laminated, or front-side only tinted, or mirrored.
    4) To help with back-surface reflections caused by environment, like snow, or occupational.
    5) To assist in reducing the static charge buildup noted on the back side of lenses.........due to lens raw material choice in some occupations.
    Eyes wide open

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    Bright light can reflect from the eye to the back of the lens, before returning to the eye, causing a dazzling effect. A back surface AR eliminates this.

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    I thought it was generally accepted that a back surface AR was quite important... particularly for night driving or sunglasses.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Ryser View Post
    Yes some people do.

    However it is another gimmick to make more sales for more money.

    Who likes it best ...............the optician that sold it.
    What??? I see a huge difference. Wouldn't want suns without it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Ryser View Post
    Yes some people do.

    However it is another gimmick to make more sales for more money.

    Who likes it best ...............the optician that sold it.
    HMMMM. I am pretty sure I like my polarized with. Have you ever tried this?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Robert_S View Post
    I thought it was generally accepted that a back surface AR was quite important... particularly for night driving or sunglasses.
    Wouldn't that be the front surface AR? 99.9% of the light that hits the lens will be from cars in front of you. 0.01% would be light from the cars, going through the lens, bouncing off your eye, back into the rear of the lens AND THEN striking the eye again.

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    I think backside AR coatings on sunglasses are a good idea but have one caution. The blue hue AR (and some of those I've seen look more like blue reflectors than AR) are potentially dangerous unless all backside illumination can be eliminated (e.g. by using full wrap frames that block backside lighting, or by sporting a very large and fluffy hairdo that can do the same thing, etc). My rationale for this concern is that blue reflective coatings also reflect UV, and to the extent the back side of a lens is concave toward the eye, both the backside blue and UV are concentrated on the eye and adnexa.
    Last edited by Dr. Bill Stacy; 01-26-2016 at 04:08 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Ryser View Post
    Yes some people do.

    However it is another gimmick to make more sales for more money.

    Who likes it best ...............the optician that sold it.
    I have seen demos that demonstrate the UV reflection off the backside of a lens.

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    FYI, I have removed several posts for personal insults and bickering. Please try to act like professionals.


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    Thank you Steve.

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    looking up the answers smallworld's Avatar
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    I only interjected that I've sold Antiglare on both sides of sunglasses because the coating has benefits on the front also.

    The added scratch warranty /protection is a benefit. If you are hard on your sunglasses like I am, yet want polycarbonate for eye protection during outdoors activities, the extra scratch resistant coatings are great.

    Antireflection coatings help reduce glare spots on the front and back of sunglasses, which also make the lenses look nice. Some of the coatings add a color sheen that looks like a light mirror coat. For people who want sunglasses to look expensive, the antiglare coating can add a little style. Just my opinion.

    Some anti glare coatings even make the lenses more hydrophobic, which can be nice on a sunglass if you are wearing them for activities that are in or near the water. Especially if you are doing an activity where you may want to wipe them on your shirt (even if you shouldn't).

    The backside glare spots are very distracting for me , especially driving.

    So this is why I sell antiglare on sunglasses both sides sometimes.
    What is reality but a concept unique to each of us? Can anything be classed as real when our perceptions differ greatly on so many things? Just because we see something a particular way does not make it so.

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