The process is simple for most people who need eyeglasses. You go to your optician, they determine what type of eyeglasses you need to see well, and you come back a couple of weeks later and pick up your new pair of glasses. However, the process of creating the eyeglasses from the optician making the prescription to you putting on your new glasses is a fairly intensive process. Here is how a basic set of lenses without any enhancements is made to fill your prescription.
Preparing Lens Blanks
Your optician will send the prescription for your glasses to an optical lab. A lab technician will get lens blanks from the stockroom that have the general curve and focal power the prescription requires. The lens blanks will then be taken to an area where they will be properly shaped to exactly match the prescription for each eye. The shaping and grinding of the lens usually only occurs on the backside of the lens. Tape is used to protect the front of the lens from getting scratched during handling while the backside gets grinded down.
Blocking the Lenses
A computerized blocking machine will mark the optical point of your eye on the lens according to the directions on the prescription. The optical point is the spot on the lens you will look through to see things the most clearly. The lens is attached to a portable block to hold the lens in place once the optical point has been marked.
Lens Generator
The lens and block are put into a computerized lens generating machine. The technician will program the machine so it shapes the lens to meet the prescription and the types of frames you are going to wear. The machine uses a diamond tipped carbide milling grinding wheel to shape the backside of the lens. Water is constantly sprayed onto the lens to reduce friction during the grinding process. Friction can overheat the lens and cause it to warp.
Sanding Lenses
There will be scratches on the backside of the lens once it's been ground down. Sand pads are attached to the backside of the lens before it is put into a surfacing machine. The surfacing machine sands the surface of the lens to a fine finish that removes the scratches. Water is also used to control friction during the sanding process.
Polishing Lens
The backside of the lens will be polished after sanding. Polishing pads are attached to the backside of the lens and it is put into a polishing machine. Liquid polish is used to polish and reduce the friction caused by the pads spinning around on the lens. After polishing, the lens is cleaned and inspected.
The lenses are then shipped to your optician and placed in the frames you ordered so you can pick them up and start wearing them. If you're looking for eyeglasses, visit an optician like AICO Optical.
Share29 March 2016
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