When you get a new vision prescription, certain terms and abbreviations can feel a bit technical and even confusing. One of those terms may be “plano.”
If you’ve ever seen this word on your prescription and wondered what it means, you’re not alone. Plano lenses are used when someone wants or needs to wear glasses, but they don’t actually need their vision corrected in one or both eyes.
In this article, we’ll break down what a plano optical prescription means, why you might come across it in your prescription, and how these lenses can be useful in different types of eyewear.
Understanding Plano Lenses
A plano lens is simply an eyeglass lens without corrective power. A plano optical prescription indicates that a plano lens should be used by including one of the following terms in the SPH field:
This means the lens will not provide any correction for nearsightedness or farsightedness. Unlike lenses designed to correct these refractive errors, plano lenses provide no refraction, magnification, or vision adjustment.
Uses of Plano Lenses
People choose plano lenses for a variety of situations and activities. They may be best known for their use in:
- Fashion and costumes – If you want to flaunt your inner nerd or dress up as Harry Potter for Halloween, getting fake glasses with plano lenses is the way to go. They can be a great addition to your overall style and look.
- Sun protection – It’s the 100% UVA-UVB lens protection that makes sunglasses so important to your eye health. UV protection outdoors is a must, whether you use plano or corrective lenses.
- Sports and work safety – Impact-resistant plano lenses are used in many safety goggles and glasses to shield the wearer’s eyes from hazardous debris, sports equipment, and other injury risk factors.
Benefits of Plano Lenses
In addition to all their uses, plano lenses offer many benefits for people seeking non-corrective eyewear, including:
- Versatility – They can be made in various styles, coatings, and materials. This makes plano lenses suitable for a wide range of needs, from fashion eyewear to sports goggles.
- Affordability – Since they typically don’t require corrective elements, frames with plano lenses are often more affordable than glasses with prescription lenses.
- Customization options – Even without vision correction, you can customize the lenses in plano glasses by adding anti-reflective coating, blue light filtering, and other special features.
What Does Plano Mean on an Eyeglass Prescription?
Reading a glasses prescription for the first time can feel like looking at a foreign language. You’ll likely encounter abbreviations like OD (right eye), OS (left eye), and SPH (sphere). “Plano” in an SPH field indicates there is no correction for myopia or hyperopia in the lens for that eye.
Common Questions About Plano Lenses
Q: Why would someone use a plano lens for one eye but not the other?
A: If you can see clearly with one eye but need vision correction for the other, you may get a prescription for one plano lens and one corrective lens.
Q: Are plano lenses suitable for people with astigmatism?
A: It’s possible that a person with astigmatism may not need any distance correction for nearsightedness or farsightedness. In this type of case, their doctor may write a prescription with “plano” or 0.00 in the SPH field, along with the appropriate cylinder and axis measurements to correct their astigmatism.
Q: Do plano lenses offer UV protection?
A: Plano lenses can provide UV protection. If you’re buying non-prescription sunglasses or fake glasses online or off the rack, make sure they’re labeled as providing 100% UVA-UVB lens protection (or UV 400).
Do not assume that dark-tinted lenses provide better (or any) UV protection, or that clear lenses provide none. Always check the product details to see what coverage you’re getting.
Q: Could plano lenses affect my vision over time?
A: No, plano lenses will not impact your vision over time. Since a plano lens has no corrective power, it will not harm your eyes or alter how well you can see.
Q: How do I know if plano glasses are right for me?
A: If you don’t need vision correction but you like the look of specs for an outfit or costume, or you need protective eyewear for sports or work, glasses with plano lenses may be a good option for you.
Choosing the Right Lens Type
Eyewear isn’t just about correcting your vision. Plano lenses can be used to make a fashion statement or keep your eyes safe from injury and UV rays. If you’re looking for non-prescription glasses or plano sunglasses, Eyebuydirect has plenty of options to suit your style and needs.
