Find the right lenses for your eyes
Compare lens designs for everyday vision, work, driving and sun protection. Your prescription, frame and fitting measurements determine which combination is suitable. Our team confirms availability and the complete price before you order.
Single vision and everyday varifocals
| Lens option | What it is designed for | Main benefit and points to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional single vision | One prescription for distance, reading or a set working distance. | A straightforward solution for a specific visual task. Spheric or aspheric designs and materials depend on the prescription. |
| Eyezen Start | Optimised single vision for everyday use. | Design considers distance and near viewing. It does not have the additional near support of Eyezen Boost. |
| Eyezen Boost | Single vision with a small close focusing support area. | May help suitable wearers during sustained near tasks. The support power is selected clinically; it is not an everyday presbyopic varifocal. |
| Eyezen Kids | Optimised single vision for children. | Designed around children's viewing needs. It corrects the prescription but is not a myopia control lens. |
| Varilux Liberty 3.0 | Everyday distance, intermediate and near vision. | An accessible Varilux design with a gradual change between viewing zones. |
| Varilux Comfort Max | Everyday varifocal wear with a focus on comfort. | Design supports flexibility in gaze and posture. Suitable frame choice and fitting remain important. |
| Varilux Physio extensee | Varifocal vision across changing light conditions. | Design accounts for predicted pupil size changes to support sharpness and contrast; also designed to support detailed near viewing. |
| Varilux XR series | Everyday varifocal vision, including moving between tasks. | Design informed by visual behaviour and eye movement. Personalisation varies with the precise XR option ordered. |
All varifocals have viewing zones and some peripheral blur. Adjustment time varies. A more advanced design cannot compensate for an inaccurate prescription, unsuitable frame or incorrect fitting.
Lenses for work, driving and myopia management
| Lens option | Typical use | Benefit and important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Varilux Immersia Mid | Sustained near work and the immediate desk area. | Occupational design with emphasis on near and intermediate vision. Manufacturer describes use up to about 1.5 m; useful range varies by prescription and design. Not for driving. |
| Varilux Immersia Room | Near tasks plus interactions farther across a room. | Occupational design extending intermediate coverage. Manufacturer describes use up to about 3 m; useful range varies. Complements everyday glasses and is not for driving. |
| Varilux Digitime | Specific digital and desk tasks. | Near, Mid and Room designs address different working distances. A task-specific companion pair, rather than a replacement for driving glasses. |
| Varilux Road Pilot | Drivers needing distance and dashboard vision. | Driving-focused varifocal with emphasis on distance and intermediate areas. It is a lens design, not a coating or a single vision lens. Check current supply options. |
| Essilor Stellest | Myopia management for suitable children. | Corrects vision and uses a specialised design intended to slow progression. Requires appropriate assessment, fitting, wear and monitoring. It does not reverse myopia. |
| Bifocal options | Two set viewing distances. | Distinct distance and near areas separated by a visible segment. Does not provide the continuous intermediate progression of a varifocal. |
How effective are Stellest lenses?
Essilor's published result for original Stellest lenses is an average 67% reduction in myopia progression compared with single vision lenses over two years, in children wearing the lenses at least 12 hours a day, every day. This describes a particular clinical study and wear condition, rather than a promised result for an individual child.
Ask which Stellest generation is available for your child. The manufacturer now lists Stellest 1.0 and 2.0 separately; their designs and supporting results must not be treated as interchangeable. Our recommendation depends on suitability and current supply.
Choosing occupational lenses
Bring the distances to your monitor, paperwork and any other regular task. The lens can then be chosen for your actual workspace.
Important: Do not drive in an occupational lens that does not give clear distance vision.
Transitions and Xperio sun lenses
A photochromic technology or sun finish can be combined with a suitable prescription lens design. These choices are separate from whether your lenses are single vision or varifocal.
| Option | How it behaves | Best use and limits |
|---|---|---|
| Transitions GEN S | An everyday clear-to-dark photochromic option. | Adapts for indoor and outdoor use. Standard UV-driven activation is reduced behind most car windscreens. |
| Transitions XTRActive New Generation | Extra light-sensitive photochromic technology; can activate in a car. | Consider for bright conditions and light sensitivity. May retain a slight indoor tint; in-car darkness depends on conditions and is not identical to an outdoor sunglass. |
| Transitions XTRActive Polarized | Photochromic lenses with variable polarisation outdoors. | Adds reflected-glare control when activated outdoors. The polarised effect does not operate behind the windscreen in the same way. |
| Transitions Color Touch | Always-present subtle indoor colour, darkening outdoors. | Manufacturer offers five colours with Gradient or Washed effects. This is not a fully clear indoor lens. Check current UK colours and compatible prescriptions. |
| Xperio tinted | Fixed-tint prescription sun lenses. | Reduces brightness with a choice of tint. A standard tint is not the same as a polarising filter. |
| Xperio polarised | Fixed sun lenses with a polarising filter. | Reduces reflected glare from roads, water and similar surfaces. Viewing some screens may change depending on their orientation. |
| Xperio mirror options | A mirrored finish on compatible sun lenses. | Adds a chosen appearance to tinted or polarised sun lenses. The mirror itself does not make a lens polarised. |
Practical points
Photochromic darkness and fading vary with light, temperature, material and product. UV protection should be confirmed for the selected lens combination. A dark tint alone does not establish UV protection. Dark sun lenses are not suitable for night driving, and very dark tints may be unsuitable for driving at any time.
Transitions and Xperio options are available with selected single vision and varifocal designs. Not every design, colour, material and coating can be ordered together.
Coatings and lens materials
Crizal coating choices
| Coating option | Main purpose | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Crizal Sapphire HR | Premium anti-reflective performance. | Designed to reduce reflections, repel water and dust, and resist everyday scratches and smudges. |
| Crizal Easy Pro | Everyday anti-reflective coating with a focus on easy care. | Discuss its cleaning and durability features in the material and design selected. |
| Crizal Drive | Anti-reflective coating developed for driving. | Reduces lens reflections in relevant lighting conditions. A separate choice from Road Pilot; it does not eliminate all headlight glare. |
| Crizal Prevencia | Selective blue-violet filtering alongside anti-reflective treatment. | May produce a visible residual reflection. Blue-light filtering has not been proven to prevent AMD and is not a guaranteed treatment for digital eyestrain. |
Common Essilor materials
| Material | Typical role | Selection point |
|---|---|---|
| Orma 1.5 | Standard plastic lens material. | A conventional option for many prescriptions; thickness depends on prescription and frame. |
| Ormix 1.6 | Thinner material than standard plastic for suitable prescriptions. | Can offer a balance of thickness, weight and appearance. |
| Stylis 1.67 and Lineis 1.74 | Higher index options for suitable stronger prescriptions. | May improve thickness and appearance. The thinnest available material is not automatically the best optical choice. |
| Airwear 1.59 | Polycarbonate material. | Lightweight with good impact resistance. Ordinary polycarbonate spectacles are not automatically certified safety glasses. |
Scratch resistant does not mean scratch-proof. Clean with an appropriate lens spray and clean microfibre cloth, rinse away grit first where suitable, and keep glasses in their case. Confirm any scratch warranty and its terms when ordering.