A. Single vision lenses are designed to correct sight at one distance only, with a single prescription covering the entire surface of the lens.
They are usually prescribed for people who are either longsighted or shortsighted, and who need glasses just for things like reading, driving or working at a computer.
Opting for single vision lenses may mean you also need a separate pair of glasses for different activities
A. Bifocal lenses are divided into two parts to accommodate a combination of any two different prescriptions into one lens. One area of the lens will have one prescription (usually distance) and a segment in the lower half will have the other (usually near vision). Rather than having two pairs of single-vision glasses, bifocal lenses can be a more convenient solution as they combine all your vision needs into one pair of glasses
A. Yes, There are four types of bifocal - D Segment, Executive, Round Segment and C Segment; your optician will prescribe one of these shapes depending on your lifestyle and visual needs
A. These are multifocal lenses that correct vision at different working distances, from reading distance to far distance.
Unlike bifocals, they have a gradual change in prescription and don't have visible lines that separate the segments, so they look just the same as single vision lenses.
The distance vision part of the lens is usually in front of the pupil, with the near vision part in the lower section of the lenses
A. Yes, we offer glass lenses via a specialist supplier
A. There are a couple of reasons, mainly, aesthetics and the weight of your glasses. Thinner lenses create a better finish to your glasses and therefore they will look much better. Thinner lenses also mean that they will likely fit better, with less weight on your nose. It will mean they are less likely to slide down your nose or to create indents from the nose pads
A. This is a common issue for many people. We would recommend using an Anti Reflective Coating (MAR) which reduces reflections and it also enhances appearance. AR coating is especially beneficial when used on high-index lenses, which reflect more light than regular plastic lenses. Generally, the higher the index of refraction of the lens material, the more light that will be reflected from the surface of the lenses
A. Yes, please visit any of practices and we will be able to assist you with choosing new lenses. Most of our lenses come hard coated as a minimum standard which means the chances of them being scratched is reduced
A. Prisms in glasses are used to primarily correct double vision, for positional correction, or convergence correction. Recently, prisms have also been used to help people with hemianopia – a condition that causes blindness in half of the visual field in both eyes.
Prism glasses have a thinner apex and thicker base than standard glasses. This is to enable light to bend and slow. The angle, or index, of refraction that the light bends at will depend on the shape and thickness of the lens
A. Yes, we provided uncoated lenses. We would normally recommend a coating to reduce light reflections and improve appearance but we also recognise that these lenses can be harder to maintain due to the coating ingredients and therefore not everyone wishes to have a coating
A. Yes, we provide too different coatings that can create this appearance – PureView and Achromatic. Most of these coatings create a clear and crystal like appearance
A. Yes, we can offer transitions with any lens that you choose
A. Our Varifocals range in price from £99 to over £300. The difference reflects the difference in quality between the lenses. For Varifocals, this mainly comes down to the areas of distortion. For cheaper varifocals, the areas of distortion are more prominent. This means your periphery vision will not be as clear and sharp. Our top varifocal has almost no distortion. Many wearers have described it as being like wearing single vision lenses, but all within one lens. The vision is much clearer in every regard
A. We offer a buy one, get one half price on our lenses, excluding Bifocals. Terms & Conditions apply to this offer so please speak to a team member for more details
A. There can be a number of reasons for this but the most common one is to do with the position that more computer screens sit at. In most cases, the working distance is neither suitable for a reading prescription, or a distance prescription. However, all is not lost. At Urquharts, we offer an Occupational Varifocal which compensates for your working distance. This is a varifocal lens which has an intermediate prescription and a reading prescription within it. It can be used at a working distance of 1.5m and 3m and is a very popular choice for those who work in offices with computers
A. There could be a number of reasons as to why you are experiencing headaches and therefore we would recommend making an appointment to see one of our opticians at our practices in Kilmarnock, Prestwick, Troon or Ayr. One possibility is that artificial light could be causing your eyes to strain and in turn resulting in headaches. One way to reduce this is by using our lens, BlueZero. Our lens partner has developed a lens material with built-in protection from the potential harm of artificial light, which is increasingly present in everyday life from TV and computer screens, smartphones, tablets, and more. Based on a unique polymer formula, Shamir Blue Zero absorbs HEV, or blue light, while maintaining lens clarity
A. Our lens partner, Shamir Lens, has developed the award winning lens the Autograph Intelligence. It was awarded lens product of the year at the Optician Awards 2019. Shamir Autograph Intelligence is a continuous lens design that optimally matches the wearer’s visual needs and Visual Age. It is the most innovative and intelligent design to date, utilizing 12 unique design concepts to meet the diversity of visual needs for each Visual Age. Shamir Autograph Intelligence closes the gap between what today's presbyopes of all ages need in a progressive lens, and what they actually get. This revolutionary continuous design concept has been tailored based on our in-depth research and is relevant to your visual needs, whether you're a young, mid, or advanced
A. All of our varifocals come with a two week guarantee that if you do not get on with them, we will offer you a suitable replacement pair of glasses or your money back. You have nothing to lose by trying them!
A. We usually quote, 7 days for Distance or Reading Glasses, 10 days for Bifocals and 14 days for Varifocals. Due to the fact that we have an onsite lab, we often deliver quicker than this and if you have exceptional circumstances, please let our team know and we will endeavour to deliver on this quicker
A. Yes, our lab in Kilmarnock carries a range of uncoated distance and reading lenses in specific prescriptions. To find out whether we have your prescription in stock, please call our team in Kilmarnock and they will be delighted to assist you
A. At Urquharts, we believe in providing the highest quality products in specialist areas such as wraparounds. As a result, we partner with Oakley Sunglasses, the market leading eyewear for sport and performance
A. The short answer is no. At Urquharts, the health of your eyes is the most important aspect of our service. Costing as little as £1, we can easily see the appeal of over-the-counter reading glasses, but there have been several high profile studies, including Which? Magazine which show that wearing ‘ready readers’ offers poorer vision and many people experience symptoms such as eye strain and double vision. The issues often see are the optical centres being wrong, meaning your looking through the wrong part of the lens and the strength of the lens is often wrong as well meaning the glasses are either too strong, or too weak. Our complete pairs of glasses start from only £50 and we know you’ll see a significant difference in quality
A. The reason many are put off bifocals is their appearance. The reading segment is often very obvious and some people can become conscious of this. As a result our lens supplier Shamir have developed a Bifocal that has the distance and reading zones of a bifocal, but without the segment being visible. This is a very popular lens and means that your glasses have the appearance of single visions lenses
A. A polarised lens offers the following advantages over non-polarized lenses:
1) Improves visual comfort
2) Improves contrast and visual clarity
3) Reduces eye strain
4) Allows for true perception of colours
5) Reduces reflections and eliminates glare
6) Complete protection from UVA and UVB rays