Cheap eyeglasses are the fruit of modern technology (specifically modern materials science) and globalization. Of the two, globalization probably plays the more important role, as economic conditions overseas allow hi-tech goods to be manufactured at rather decidedly low-tech wages. This results in a boon to the American consumer who, frankly speaking, is finding that a dollar tends not to go as far these days. Today’s glasses make good, even perfect, eyesight more affordable than ever for the general buying public.
But despite their name, there is almost never any glass, and many models are far from being cheap in quality. Modern day lenses are made of plastic, yet the material provides several superior performance characteristics despite the negative connotations of the word. That is one reason why contemporary “>eyeglasses are so inexpensive, but affordability means really little, if anything at all, when thinking about one’s health and welfare. Thankfully, modern day plastics provide clear-cut advantages way beyond anything old-fashioned glass ever did.
Lenses used to be the most expensive part of a pair of eyeglasses, but these days they cost much less than the frame itself! Yet they’re exceptionally durable, with any number of scratch and shatter-proof styles available in the market. They are also thinner and lighter, resulting in vastly increased wearer comfort, without compromising at all on performance. They allow more light to pass through even while greatly inhibiting harmful ultraviolet rays.
But lenses aren’t the only beneficiaries of modern day science and modern business practices.The frames, too, have undergone a technological makeover, with flexible styles which are much more durable. And because of the internet, one may simply find the right eyeglasses online, though one-stop shopping convenience may still mean visiting an old-fashioned brick-and-mortar store because an eye exam is recommended before fitting a new pair (unless, of course, the prescription is a fairly recent one).
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