High Index Lenses

Why High-Index Lenses are Ideal for Seniors

As a person ages, he or she will probably notice their senses beginning to deteriorate. From smell and taste to the more important vision and hearing, every sense—and therefore every avenue of experiencing the world is diminished. This can be a frustrating experience for the older adult who simply wants to continue enjoying life in their older age. It becomes even more so when those individuals are finally in retirement and able to do the things they’ve always wanted to do.

Fortunately, there are ways to help seniors get the most out of life by using tools to rehabilitate some of their senses. While a person’s sense of smell and taste can’t usually be enhanced, hearing aids can help those with poor hearing communicate effectively once again. For those seniors with especially bad hearing, cochlear implants are an option. Additionally, there are plenty of ways to help the elderly see properly once again. These include eyeglasses, contact lenses, and even corrective surgeries. However, each option does have pros and cons that need to be considered.

While many younger people choose contact lenses for correcting their vision, this is not always the best option for older individuals. This is due to the fact that many elderly people experience shakiness that makes it difficult to get the lenses in and out of their eyes. Additionally, seniors have a tendency to drift off to sleep more easily. Because this often means sleeping with contacts in, it can lead to issues such as eye infection. Infections are something nobody wants to deal with, but they can be especially damaging to older individuals with weakened immune systems.

For some, surgery is the most attractive vision-correction option. After all, who wouldn’t like to head to the doctor, experience a short recovery time, and never have to deal with glasses again? Nevertheless, this isn’t usually the best way to go when it comes to helping seniors see clearly. The risk of infection is greater for these individuals, and other complications of surgery become more likely for older people.

This leaves glasses as the final and best option for seniors. This is the option most often used by older adults, and the one that is least likely to result in complications. In fact, eyeglasses even have the potential to reduce the risk of eye infection by protecting one’s eyes from flying dust and debris.

That said, many elderly people find that as they grow older, their eyes become weaker and weaker, meaning their eyeglasses prescription becomes stronger and stronger. This is a problem, because when it comes to traditional lenses, a stronger prescription means thicker lenses and heavier glasses. These unusually thick and heavy glasses lead to a whole host of problems.

Fortunately, all of these issues can be fixed through the use of lighter-weight, high-index lenses. Not only will these solve the problems caused by thick traditional lenses, they will also throw in a few side benefits for extra measure.

Below we have compiled a list of the benefits of high-index lenses when used by elderly individuals.

Lighter Weight

The first and most obvious benefit of making the switch to high-index lenses is the significantly decreased weight.

This lighter-weight design makes the glasses much more comfortable for the senior to wear, leading to fewer aches, pains, and injuries due to overly heavy eyeglasses. It also means the older adult is more likely to wear his or her glasses regularly, helping them retain the eyesight they do still possess.

Also, the lighter weight of these eyeglasses makes them much easier to keep in place, because they are less likely to slip down the nose due to excessive weight. Less slipping means less annoyance and fewer broken pairs of glasses. This benefit also helps keep the frames properly fitted to the face, as it means the glasses will always be worn properly and never halfway down the bridge of the nose.

Improved Vision

The reason high-index lenses are so light is because they are much better at bending light in just the right way. The higher the index, the better they will be at bending light properly. This fact also means that high-index lenses have the potential to improve the vision of the user in a way that traditional lenses would be incapable of.

Considering the fact that 5.5 million seniors in the US are considered legally blind or visually impaired, this is a huge step in the right direction for people in this age group. After all, improved vision means the ability to take part in more activities and an overall higher quality of life.

More Fashionable

Believe it or not, some grandmas don’t want to look like grandmas. This becomes increasingly true as the newest generation of seniors reaches “elderly” status. Fortunately, the bug-eyed look so often seen on the grandmas and grandpas of the world does not necessarily have to be the fate of the fashion-conscious seniors out there.

High-index lenses allow even those with seriously impaired vision to continue to strut their stuff. Because these lenses accomplish the same task that traditional lenses do but with way less bulk, they don’t give the wearer a bug-eyed look. Instead, they look sleek and can even enhance a person’s natural good looks. Additionally, because these lenses are lighter, they can be placed in virtually any frame, meaning bulky frames are no longer necessary and that thinner, more visually appealing frames can be chosen instead.

Better on the Budget

Because eyeglasses are expensive, nobody wants to buy them any more often than necessary. High-index lenses are even more expensive than their traditional counterparts, making them a huge investment. That said, they can still be the more budget-friendly option. You see, high-index lenses are incredibly high-quality. They are made to last, and with the proper care and maintenance, they will do just that. Therefore, although the glasses do cost a pretty penny at first, they will save you money in the long run.

This is great news for seniors, because many of these individuals are living solely on social security checks. These checks often leave very little wiggle room from month to month (financially speaking), making a new pair of glasses an item that is simply out of reach for many. With a pair of glasses that will last for years to come, older adults will no longer have to worry about replacing glasses on a regular basis.

After taking a glance at these benefits, it is pretty plain to see that high-index lenses are the way to go when it comes to improving the vision of older adults. From fewer injuries to more frame choices, there are an astounding number of reasons a person would come to this conclusion. Therefore, finding the right lenses and frames for the senior in your life is a task that simply cannot wait.

If you are searching for a pair of high-index lenses, we encourage you to have a look around our online store. We have an enormous variety of frame options to choose from, and the highest-quality high-index lenses on the market. Additionally, we are happy to answer any questions or help you find anything you might need.

So what are you waiting for? Start your shopping right away!