How Are Eyeglass Lenses Made?

They rest on your face all day every day and are one of the main reasons you’re able to wander about your day safely and comfortably. We’re talking, of course, about your glasses! But while they provide so much joy to millions of people around the world, have you ever actually stopped to think of how they were made and how they work? For those of you able to read this very blog thanks to your glasses, here’s a brief overview of just how your glasses came to be.

Adding your prescription.

Once an eye doctor has conducted an eye exam on you, they’ll give you a prescription. Though to most a prescription is a seemingly random array of numbers and values, these numbers tell the technology we’ll see being used later in the process exactly how to cut and curve your lenses.

It’s in a laboratory that advanced technology reads your prescription and tells multiple different machines how to properly shape your lenses out of a lens blank (a blank sheet of glass or plastic that hasn’t been tampered with or molded yet). Typically, people with “bad” eyesight will need a thicker, more curved lens.

Prepping your lenses.

After your prescription has been added to the lenses, it’s time to make sure they fit perfectly into the frames you’ve already chosen. To do this, the edges of the lens are carefully and microscopically cut to the size of the frame.

If you chose tinted glasses, this is also the time a tint is added. To get the desired tint, lenses are left in what’s known as a “tinting solution.” The longer they’re left in this solution, the darker the tint will be.

Piecing it all together.

Your lenses wouldn’t be able to do their job if they had nothing to hold them up — enter: frames. Your lenses will now be popped into the frame you’ve selected and checked for any imperfections, like scratches. Lastly, the prescription is double checked, using a special prescription-reading machine. One last whip of a microfiber cloth and your glasses are ready to be packaged and shipped!

Established in 1970, Action Glass Co., Inc. is a full-service glass company that specializes in glass fabrication and installation. We have the experience and expertise to get the job done right the first time. Our skilled professionals use only the finest tools and materials for installation. For more information on our glass services, call 800-24-GLASS.