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Budgetspex Lenses Information

The difference between stock and non stock prescription lenses.

Price and Availability

Our first task is to help you to understand the difference between stock lenses and prescription surfaced lenses.

Our standard index for stock lenses are 1.50 index and the range for stock in this index is between +6.00 dioptres combined and -6.00 dioptres combined.

Now you may be intrigued by the term “combined”, well here goes. A lens may have either or both a spherical power and a cylindrical power. If we combine both spherical and cylindrical powers we determine the maximum lens power.

You may say but I also have an axis, well that may be so but the axis number only tells you the orientation of the lens when fitted into a pair of glasses. It has no bearing on the maximum power.

If your prescription, "from herein we will use the term RX", has a sphere of +6.00 and a cylinder of +1.00 the combined power is +7.00 thus greater than the maximum power in the standard stock range.

If your RX has a sphere of +6.00 but the cylinder is -1.00 the combined power is only +6.00, this is because the cylinder is in the opposite meridian.

Conversely if your RX has a sphere of -6.00 and the cylinder is -1.00 the combined power is -7.00, which again is greater than the maximum power in the stock range, whereas spherical -6.00 cylindrical +1.00 has a maximum power of -6.00, this is because the cylinder is also in the opposite meridian.

Also if any RX has a prism in one or both eyes or a cylindrical power greater than +/-2.00 dioptres it will be outside of the stock lens range.

You may have an add for reading or intermediate work, this figure is added only to the spherical power of your RX, our website has the facility to enter this figure and merge it into your RX to show your actual reading prescription.

The other thing to understand is that stock lenses are made in vast quantities thus are always less expensive than RX surfaced lenses which are made individually.

Different index lenses carry different stock ranges, our website checks your RX "if you have registered it" against ranges of available lenses for your RX and displays all available lenses stock or surfaced with the best value budget lenses selected as default.

We cannot supply stock for one eye and non stock for the other, it is beyond the limitations of this website.

1.50 Basic Standard Single Vision Lenses

1.50 Basic Standard Single Vision Lenses Fitted Free

Standard Lens

Basic 1.50 Standard Single Vision Lenses Fitted Free with any prescription frame purchased from our online catalogue.
Our standard lenses are single vision 1.50 index Cr 39 plastic resin they are adequate for most people.
They are made exactly to your prescription and are suitable for general wear.
Our standard basic range is up to +/-6.00 sphere and cylinder combined with a maximum of +/- 2.00 CYL without any PRISM and is included with any optical frame.

1.53 Trivex

Hard Coated As Standard

Antireflection Coating Available

1.53 Index

The very latest from the USA also known as TRILOGY and PNX
This lens is truly amazing ( almost indestructible )
Very strong and light with high impact resistance
Ideal for sports protection
Super for rimless spectacles ( Guaranteed against splitting even in a rimless frame for the life of the prescription )
UV protection up to 380nm as standard

1.56 Mid Index Plastic

1.56 Index

This lens is slightly thinner than the preferred and much stronger 1.50 index standard Cr 39.
It's value becomes evident when mid range prescriptions are fitted into full rimmed frames.
1.56 index lenses usually have a slightly flatter curve, giving a cosmetically more flattering appearance.
Generally not sutable for rimless or semi-rimless use, but is usefull in full frames to reduce thicknesses.

1.59 Polycarbonate

Antireflection Coating Available
1.59 Index

Very strong and light with high impact resistance
Ideal for sports protection
Used widely for rimless spectacles
UV protection up to 380nm as standard
Only very light tints available on some brands

1.60 Index

1.60 Index

A thin lightweight lens ideal for the short sighted wearers

Up to 30% thinner than standard 1.50 index cr39 lenses
Hard coated as standard to resist scratching.
Can be multi anti-reflection coated for enhanced night driving or hard coated only
UV protection up to 380nm as standard on some brands.
Good cosmetic appearance ( Smaller frames give thinner appearance with minus prescriptions )
Can be supplied with tints on some brands

1.67 High Index

1.67 Index

A thinner lighter lens for short sighted wearers

As much as 25% thinner than the 1.60 index lens and Up to 40% thinner than standard 1.50 index cr39 lenses
Aspheric design reduces chromatic aberration and edge distortion giving good all round vision.
Hard coated as standard to resist scratching.
Can be multi anti-reflection coated for enhanced night driving.
UV protection up to 380nm as standard.
Good cosmetic appearance ( Smaller frames give thinner appearance with minus prescriptions ).
Can be tinted during manufacturing process on some brands.

1.74 Super High Index

1.74 Index

The thinnest lightest resin lens available today

As much as 35% thinner than the 1.60 index lens and Up to 50% thinner than standard 1.50 index cr39 lenses
Aspheric design reduces chromatic aberration and edge distortion giving good all round vision
Hard coated to resist scratching
Multi anti-reflection coated for enhanced night driving
UV protection up to 380nm
Good cosmetic appearance ( Smaller frames give thinner appearance with minus prescriptions )
THIS LENS IS ALSO NOT SUITABLE FOR TINTING

Lens Thickness Comparison

Lens Thickness Comparison

1.50 Index Our standard lens is single vision 1.5 index Cr 39 plastic resin and is adequate for most people
1.53 Index This lens is ideal for rimless and semi rimless designs, as it is virtually unbreakable and very lightweight, although a little thicker than high index lenses.
1.56 Index The tensile strength of this index is lower than any other in general, although some brands have overcome this problem. It is slightly thinner than 1.50 but its lack of strength renders it unusable for Rimless.
1.60 Index Our lowest priced thinner lens.
1.67 Index Our mid priced thinner lens.
1.74 Index Is the thinnest plastic lens currently available.

As you can see demonstrated in the chart, the saving in lens thickness is most dramatic when used in high minus prescriptions.

Aspheric Lenses

Aspheric Lenses

Aspheric Lenses are typically designed to give a thinner lens, and also show less distortion of the viewer's eyes as seen by other people, thus producing a better aesthetic appearance.
Aspheric lenses typically do not provide better vision than standard lenses, but do allow a thinner, flatter lens to be made without compromise to the optical performance.

Hard Coated Scratch Resistant

Hard Coated Scratch Resistant

Cr39 plastic lenses can scratch quite easily if not treated carefully, so a much harder plastic coating is added to the surface to help reduce scratching.
We do not charge for scratch resistant coating on any lens we supply.

Many New Lenses Added To Our Catalogue

New lens types are added as requested

New lens types are added as requested.

We currently sell branded lenses from Hoya, Essilor and Kodak and Budgetspex unbranded lenses in many refractive indexes including Cr39 1.50 std, 1.53 Trivex or Pnx, 1.56 mid, 1.59 Polycarbonate high, 1.60 high, 1.61 high, 1.67 high and 1.74 high indexed plastic.
In single vision, varifocals, trifocals and bifocals D shaped 25mm, 28mm, 35mm, 40mm, 45mm, Curved top 28mm, round segment 24mm and 38mm, and executive styles.
And Transitions grey or brown lenses in most materials and sunsensors mid index reacting lenses.
We also sell polarised varifocals and single vision.

RX Range

1.50 Index Rx Range

Applies if your sph and cyl added together is greater -/+ 6.00 or your cyl is greater than -/+ 2.00 or a prism is prescribed.
Our website checks your prescription against a series of lens tables and will display the lens availability and prices as you proceed through the ordering process.
Please take the time to enter your current prescription and experiment with the options