Kodak Lens history and lenses

The Eastman Kodak Company may be known for cameras, but Kodak Lens makes a variety of eyeglasses lenses. Their products range from Kodak single vision, bifocal and progressive lenses to Kodak blue light and sun lenses.

If you wear glasses, the type of lenses you choose can make a big difference in how well you see every day. Kodak Lens is one well-known brand you may want to consider for your next pair of eyeglasses.

Kodak Lens is a brand of lenses for eyeglasses that includes a full array of prescription and corrective lenses.

The Kodak Lens brand grew out of Kodak, a company that in the late 1800s began selling a simple camera for use at home. The company expanded into film, printing and publishing, document imaging and health imaging. The Kodak Lens brand was a natural outgrowth of the company's focus on camera lenses. 

In 2010, vision company Essilor bought the company that manufactures Kodak Lens eyeglass lenses. This company, Signet Armorlite, has been making ophthalmic lenses since 1947. 

Kodak Lens states that their lenses are available through any independent eye doctor. The Kodak Lens slogan is: "See the Colors of Life®."

Kodak Lens makes a variety of lenses to suit different needs, including:

• Bifocal lenses – Bifocal lenses have two lens powers to help you see up close and far away. Traditional bifocal lenses have a visible "line" on the lenses.
• Blue light filtering lenses – Blue light lenses may enhance visual comfort when spending long hours looking at screens.
• No-glare lenses – No-glare lenses may help you see more clearly, especially when driving at night, boating or doing other activities where glare can affect your vision.
• No-line progressive lenses – No-line progressive lenses give you vision correction at different distances with no visible "line" on the lenses.
• Reading lenses – Reading glasses provide slight magnification. They help you to see up close if you have presbyopia, a common condition after age 40.
• Single-vision lenses – Single-vision lenses offer vision correction for nearsightedness (myopia) or farsightedness (hyperopia).
• Sun lenses – These lenses for prescription sunglasses protect your eyes from UV rays.

Your eye doctor will help you choose the right lenses for your prescription, life and needs.

Kodak Lens makes lenses in different materials to suit a range of eyeglass types and prescriptions. 

It's uncommon to make eyeglasses lenses from glass today due to its weight and fragility. Here are some common types of lens materials:

• Plastic lenses – Armorlite is the company that manufactures Kodak Lens lenses. They introduced the first lightweight plastic lenses for glasses in 1947.
• Polycarbonate lenses – These thin, lightweight lenses came out in the 1970s. They grew in popularity for their ability to stand up to wear and tear.
• Trivex lenses – These lenses are similar to polycarbonate lenses but may allow for better, crisper color vision.
• High-index plastic lenses – These are the thinnest and most lightweight lenses available. They also block 100 percent of UV rays.

Lens material is an important factor to consider when getting glasses. Your eye doctor can answer any questions you have about the cost, pros and cons of each material.

What is glare? Glare is when eyeglass lenses reflect light away from the eye. Plastic lenses in eyeglasses reflect about 8 to 10 percent of light away from the eye. And high-index lenses reflect even more light. 

That means less light is available to the eye for crisp vision. One way to combat glare is with anti-glare lenses, which allow over 99 percent of light to reach the eye. Anti-glare lenses can make it easier to drive at night and can help you see better in general. They also allow others to see your eyes more clearly.

Kodak Lens makes no-glare lenses that reduce glare with an anti-reflective coating. Kodak Lens no-glare lenses are water repellant and include protection from UV light and scratches.

Spending a lot of time in front of computers, tablets and smartphones can lead to tired eyes. Kodak Total Blue lenses filter some high-energy visible (HEV) blue light as well as UV rays. Amber lens tints are typically required to filter both blue-turquoise and blue-violet light.

Kodak blue light lenses are available in clear, polarized and polycarbonate options. Your eye doctor can help you choose the best one for you.

Kodak Lens offers a manufacturing warranty on all Kodak lenses. The Kodak Lens warranty covers "normal wear and tear."

Ask to see the terms of the warranty when you buy glasses through your eye doctor. Check the terms for the lenses, lens coatings and frames. They should state how long the warranty lasts, what it does and does not cover, and how you can use the warranty.

Your eye doctor can give you a comprehensive eye exam and also help you choose a new pair of glasses.

If you want Kodak lenses in your new glasses, use the Kodak Lens eye doctor locator tool. It will help you find a Kodak Lens authorized eye care professional.

Having regular eye exams will help to keep your vision crisp and clear every day. It’s especially important to get new glasses when your prescription changes. Ask your eye doctor about quality lenses like Kodak lenses for your new glasses.

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