Anti-reflective coatings reflect ultraviolet radiation

Physical parameters and transmittance and reflectance properties of clear lenses of various materials with various coatings. Green cells: increased transmissibility resulting from AR coating; negligible UV transmittance. Orange cells: non-negligible but acceptable UV transmittance; low but non-negligible (<10%) UV reflectance. Red cells: significant UV transmittance or reflectance. Standards requirements: P, pass; F, fail; N/A, lens is exempt.

Physical parameters and transmittance and reflectance properties of various tinted lenses. Green cells: increased transmissibility resulting from AR coating; negligible UV transmittance. Orange cells: non-negligible but acceptable UV transmittance; low but non-negligible (<10%) UV reflectance. Red cells: significant UV transmittance. Standards requirements: P, pass; F, fail; N/A, lens is exempt.

Spectral reflectance curves for clear CR-39 lenses with various coatings. UV bands: A, near; B, middle or erythemal; C, far or germicidal.

Spectral reflectance curves for clear polycarbonate (PC) and Trivex^™ lenses with various coatings. UV bands: A, near; B, middle or erythemal; C, far or germicidal.

Spectral reflectance curves for various clear high-index materials with AR coatings and uncoated crown glass and acrylic. Peak reflectances (not shown) of 1.67-index plastic (purple curve) of about 77% at 235 nm, and of 1.7-index plastic (green curve) of about 88.5% at 325 nm. UV bands: A, near; B, middle or erythemal; C, far or germicidal.

Spectral reflectance curves for various nonprescription tinted sun lenses. UV bands: A, near; B, middle or erythemal; C, far or germicidal.

Range of incident angles, with respect to straight ahead on an adult Canadian standard headform, for which reflected rays potentially can strike either the temporal limbus (yellow lines) or the central cornea (red lines). Monocular interpupillary distance of 32 mm. Lens parameters: horizontal dimension of 62 mm, vertex distance of 13 mm, wrap angle of 0°, and back surface curvature (measured with a lens clock calibrated for index 1.53) of −4.00 D (i.e., radius of −132.5 mm). Red lines, range of rays that reflect toward the central cornea; yellow lines, range of rays that reflect toward the temporal limbus.