BluBlock AR Coatings

Steve Mower - Updated October 6, 2021

Anti-Reflective Coatings (AR)

Better Optical Quality and Appearance

All quality lenses whether in telescopes, binoculars, and your smart phone's camera, have an anti-reflective coating. There is no such thing as 100% non-glare lenses but anti-reflective coatings for eyeglasses reduce reflections and glare. They look nicer and you get clearer vision.

  • Anti-Reflective (AR) Coatings, or "Non-Glare" coatings are designed to increase the optical quality of lenses by "pulling" more light through the lenses.
  • Typically, standard, non-blublock AR coatings pull over 99.95% of light through the lens. 
  • A lens without AR will typically reflect off about 20% of the light hitting it.
  • For eyeglass lenses this can look unsightly as people can see a lot of reflections off the front surface of the lenses.
  • AR coated lenses look almost totally clear with very little reflection.

How do you know if a lens has an AR coating?

  • If you look at the lens straight on it will look very clear.
  • Held to a slight angle you will see a shimmer of color. The color can be a mix of blue, green, yellow, purple depending on the combinations of minerals used in the AR stack.
  • An AR stack is is the multiple layers of coatings that "pull" the light through the lens.
  • Different manufacturers have their own AR stacks. 
  • High quality AR coatings also have other layers of coatings that make the lenses more scratch resistant, block more UV, and make the lenses less easy to smudge and easier to clean (hydrophobic coatings).

About Zoom meetings and lighting. A standard AR coating works best. Certain lights like ring lights can cause visible reflections. You can reduce this either by repositioning the light source or switching to a fluorescent light.

Non-AR Coated Lens vs. AR Coated Lens

 

ANTI-REFLECTIVE LENS TYPES

Standard AR Diagram  

Standard AR Coatings

  • Pull over 99.95% of light through the lens to your eyes.
  • Cosmetics: Lenses are very clear with no surface glare.
  • Lenses: Mojo Standard AR
BluBlock AR Coating Diagram  

BluBlock AR Coatings

  • Specially designed to reflect off a percentage of blue light before entering the lens. 
  • Allows beneficial blue light through to your eyes.
  • Reduces reflections and unwanted glare.
  • Cosmetics: A blue flash off the front surface of the lenses can be seen. This is blue light being reflected off.
  • Lenses: Mojo BluBlock AR, Apex BluBlock AR-T, Crizal Prevencia AR
 Blue Filter Lens with Standard AR Diagram    

Blue Filter Lenses with Standard AR Coatings

  • Lenses have a blue filter monomer which filters a percentage of HEV Blue Light.
  • Standard AR Coating does not reflect off blue light.
  • Allows beneficial blue light through to your eyes.
  • Reduces reflections and unwanted glare.
  • Cosmetics: No blue flash off the front surface of the lenses can be seen. 
  • Great for video meetings.
  • Lenses: Mojo BluFilter with Standard AR, Crizal Rock, Crizal Rock 1.67
 Blue Filter and BluBlock AR Diagram    

Blue Filter Lenses with BluBlock AR Coatings (Hybrid)

  • Lenses have a blue filter monomer which filters a percentage of HEV Blue Light.
  • BluBlock AR Coating reflects off blue light.
  • Allows beneficial blue light through to your eyes.
  • Reduces reflections and unwanted glare.
  • Cosmetics: Blue flash off the front surface of the lenses can be seen. 
  • Provides superior blue light protection.
  • Lenses: Zenspex 1.6 BluBlock AR, Kodak Total Blue 1.6 AR

Go here to see a video showing the relative effectiveness of these blublock lens types.

Blue light reflected of of BluBlock AR Coatings can be seen:

blue light reflected off at angle

Our Lenses with AR Coatings

BLUBLOCK AR LENS NAME

 ~TOTAL HEV   

BLUE FLASH

   OPTION $

Mojo BluBlock AR ~25% YES $15
Apex BluBlock AR-T ~33% YES $20
Zenspex BluBlock 1.6 AR ~80% YES $50
Kodak Total Blue 1.6 AR ~87% YES $80
       
STANDARD AR LENS NAME ~TOTAL HEV BLUE FLASH OPTION $
Mojo BluFilter Standard  AR ~20% NO $50
Crizal Rock BluFilter Standard AR >20% NO $100
Mojo Standard AR 0.0% NO $15
Mojo Ultrathin 1.67 Standard AR 0.0% NO $60

 

See our AR Lenses Specifications

Read our BluBlock Guide for help in selecting the right blue block option option for you.

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Steve Mower is a licensed dispensing Optician and creator of Mojo BluBlock Tints. Steve has over 30 years experience in the optical field. He has been a optical retail manager and has consulted on progressive lens development. Steve has been offering unique reading glasses solutions on-line since 2010. Steve is a member of Opticians Association of Virginia and Opticians Association of America.

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