How High Tech Glasses Improve Your Eyesight

The latest high tech glasses bring much more than just improved eyesight. From smart displays to video recording shades, the possibilities are seemingly endless.

Amazon’s second-generation Alexa glasses are a sleek vessel for your digital assistant. You can get notifications in your ear, pause music or make calls with voice commands. There’s also a VIP list filter to only send you alerts from a specific group of people.

Customized Prescriptions

Like high-definition television made old analog TV seem drab and blurry, the new generation of lenses can take your eyeglasses to a whole new level. Known as free-form, this lens technology allows the eyeglass manufacturer to account for your prescription to within 1/100th of a diopter—an unprecedented level of precision. Ask your VSP network doctor if you’re eligible to experience this next-generation vision technology.

In addition to enhancing your vision, some high tech glasses can produce information on the surroundings through augmented reality. For example, when you pass a storefront that features a product, the glasses may produce information about it, such as its manufacturer and ingredients.

Other smart glasses include microphones to allow you to communicate with others without reaching for your phone or hands. For instance, Amazon’s Echo Frames 2 let you speak with Alexa using voice commands and use your voice to answer texts, make calls and more. You can even set up “VIP filtering” so notifications from a select list of people are sent directly to your ears instead of going to your phone.

The frames on these high tech glasses glasses have an elegant, debonair look that won’t scream, “I’m wearing a pair of Google Glass!” Plus, you can wear them while you work out or run errands—no need to worry about slipping your wireless headphones off and losing them.

Digitally Scanned Eyes

Unlike the rudimentary lens grinding processes of the middle ages, today’s high-tech glasses are made using cutting-edge digital technology. When you’re ready to get a new pair, your eyes are digitally scanned by specialized equipment that collects a number of data points on your eye surface and shape. This information helps the equipment select a prescription that will not only correct your refractive error but also account for variations in your eye’s surface and shape.

These data points are then used to generate a digital photo of your eye, and a software program matches that image to a database of more than 240 features unique to your eye’s iris pattern. The results are used to create a unique code for your eye that is then converted into a digital prescription, and a lens is then fabricated that precisely matches the prescription.

The advanced digital processing and surfacing techniques that make these lenses possible are known as free-form or direct-to-surface. The resulting lenses are lighter and more durable than conventional frames, and they offer greater optical clarity with a wider field of view. Some models can even filter the amount of ambient light that is allowed to pass through the lenses, allowing wearers to optimize the visual overlays that they see on their real-world surroundings.

Frames that Fit

Few people associate eyewear with cutting-edge innovations, but as cars high tech glasses grow greener and smartphones get smarter, glasses are evolving into high-tech gadgets. The hottest new glasses have cameras, sensors and microphones built right in. They can be used to capture photos and videos, make hands-free calls and even give you directions. These glasses are also designed to be stylish and lightweight, with frames that don’t obstruct your vision.

The most popular pair of smart glasses feature the Alexa voice assistant and offer a wide range of functions. They can sync with calendars and provide reminders, and they can also show directions on a map on the lenses. They can also take and play back music, answer calls and read aloud notifications. They have an ergonomic design and are easy to wear, and the Amazon app provides tutorials for new users.

Almost all current smart glasses with built-in audio and video use open-ear audio, meaning the speakers point down toward your ears. This lets you hear your music without enclosing your ears or blocking them, which is useful for those who want to keep their sense of hearing active and aware of their surroundings.

Bose’s second-generation Frames have the best sound quality and battery life out of any glasses we’ve tested, but you can choose from several different styles to find the one that fits you. The Taylors and Brunos are stylish, classic frames that look like your normal glasses and feature speakers and a microphone for voice control. They come with 4GB of storage to hold 500 photos or 15 60-second videos, and a portable charging case for convenience.

Wearable Technology

Besides the obvious things like a camera, Bluetooth, speakers and microphone, smart glasses have much more to offer. Some can play music, make video calls, and project a display into the eyeglasses. These features can be a big selling point for certain people. Other features to look for include how long the battery can last and what type of storage they have. Those who want to take pictures and videos will want to choose a pair with a high-quality camera, while those who wear their glasses for work or in public will want to consider how well they conceal their electronics.

Some of the more advanced smart glasses have augmented reality capabilities that can be used to navigate or view maps, for example. They can also sync with calendars to remind you of events or meetings. They can even provide step-by-step directions. Some can also connect with voice assistants, such as Alexa, so you can ask it to do tasks for you.

For example, Xiaomi’s new smart glasses use optical waveguides to channel a display right into the lens without the need for mirrors or semi-transparent glass. The result is a pair of glasses that looks normal and has the added benefit of being much lighter than previous generations of smart glasses. They’re currently only available in China, but they may be an option to consider if you’re looking for a pair of stylish and functional smart glasses.