These days, you’ll find injection molded Polycarbonate in most high end sunglasses and the majority of prescription eyeglasses in the US because of its higher index, lighter weight, and extreme (virtually bulletproof) shatter resistance. This change in process allowed us to not only offer an optical grade Polycarbonate, but also increase our scratch resistance and coating durability 3x. You might not notice a difference looking through the lens, but it’s worth it to us. Instead of starting as large sheets, the Polycarbonate material is melted down to a liquid and injected into a metal mold at high pressure to form the base shape of a lens. Over the years, we worked alongside some of the top lens material manufacturers on the development of an optical grade, injection molded Polycarbonate lens. Coatings that get added to the surface meant to protect the material are stretched out during this process, making the lenses easier to scratch and delaminate.Įven worse, while Bent Sheet Polycarbonate does have optics superior to TAC, neither material can be used in the production of prescription eyeglasses and, for that reason, aren’t considered to be “optical grade.” This process is not only its namesake but also its shortcoming. That’s pretty much a fancy way of saying factories have workarounds to make TAC into a lens that is optically barely passable.īent Sheet Polycarbonate is a rigid, durable material produced in large sheets, cut into rectangles, and then bent to a curve in a heated, hydraulic press. The problem is that the visual acuity of TAC is so bad that most manufacturers produce the lenses at only a 1.0mm center thickness to reduce the amount of inherent haze and aberrations in the material. It is a widely available, inexpensive material. Many “affordable” brands still use Triacetate lenses today. When Fuse was formed nearly 10 years ago, there were two primary lens materials available: Triacetate (TAC) or “Bent Sheet” Polycarbonate. What those brands don’t do is stand behind their products and their quality. If you just want replacement lenses, they work. There are tons of small lens companies that pop up, buy pre-cut lenses in bulk, and sell them to you for less. This process usually takes around 1-3 days - but it’s worth it. Then, our team cleans, inspects, and packages up your order. When you place an order with us, we custom cut each pair of lenses to order in Clearwater, FL on our state-of-the-art equipment (same as what you would find in big brand’s factories). Since we’re on the subject of price, did you know you can buy around 5 pairs of our replacement lenses for the same cost as an average pair of brand name sunglasses? We prefer to invest our dollars in people, processes, and equipment so that we can control our costs and pass the savings along to you. This allows us to offer the same quality lenses as the big guys with less of a price tag. We are just a small, independent company with about 30 employees right here in the USA. Unlike the big brands, we don’t have hefty expenses on research and development, HUGE advertising campaigns, and high-powered executives with lavish lifestyles. Our business is to help you extend the life of your sunglasses at a price that makes sense. They price their lenses so high that if you are on the fence about replacing or buying, you are more likely to say “shoot, if lenses cost that much, might as well just buy a new frame.” Sound familiar? If a brand does happen to offer some replacement lenses, you might notice that our lenses often cost less than half of what they charge. In fact, if you made it here, you are one of a small group to be in the know. It’s no wonder most people don’t know that this product exists. We probably don’t need to tell you that selling sunglasses is their priority and that selling replacement lenses to extend the life of the sunglasses they just sold to you ISN’T. They spend an unimaginable amount of money to advertise their newest products - and they do it all without mention of replacement lenses.
They even invade your local fishing and surf shops. This company owns almost every sunglass brand you can think of and pits them against each other as if they are separate. Did you know that as of 2014, just one giant company owned 80% or more of all sunglasses sold in the United States?
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