Is Crizal Worth the Extra Cost?
Along with a heavy advertising push for Crizal on TV and in magazines come lots of questions from patients: What exactly is Crizal? How does it improve vision? How does it compare to other anti-reflective lens coatings?
Crizal is the brand name of an anti-reflective coating applied to optical lenses. The coating provides a smoother finish to lenses, which reduces glare and makes it more difficult for dust and water to adhere to the surface. A coating of varnish is also applied to resist scratching. In its simplest form, Crizal performs comparably to any other popular brand of anti-reflective (AR) coating.
With that said, Crizal offers advanced lens coatings that cost a bit more, and there’s one in particular that is worth the money. Crizal Avancé with Scotchgard Protector is a newer upgrade offering top-tier performance including the clearest lenses and an added protective coating for scratch-resistance and durability. From what I’ve seen, it is superior to Crizal Alizé, which also improves upon the basic anti-reflective coating but has been known to scratch and peel. It is also superior to Crizal Sapphire, which has a slightly bluish tint although it is advertised as “the clearest no-glare lenses.”
Because every patient has different needs there will always be exceptions, but generally speaking, Crizal Avancé with Scotchgard Protector outperforms and offers a better value than Crizal’s other advanced coatings.
At Insight Eyecare of Kilgore and White Oak, we offer a range of other AR coatings and technologies in addition to Crizal. For a fuller description of the benefits of AR coatings in general, click here.
Dr. Jeff Pinkerton
iCare for you.
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i want to known how much is crazil lenses price only for lenses not for frame, minimum and maximum price plz tell me
I selected the crizal coating degraded in less than a two year period and is not repairable. The cost is two high for a lens protection not able to provide a full three years of protection. Estimated cost including glasses was greater than $700 dollars.
I do not feel this is a viable protection scheme due to the short duration degrading condition of the lens coating and not worth the cost. attempted to have coating reapplied but UAB Optical center refused to make any repairs or replacement. Duration was less than 3 years. Not sufficient for the extra cost.
From Dr. Pinkerton: In my experience anti-reflective coating only lasts about a year. The coating isn’t designed to protect the glasses; it’s designed to protect the wearer from UV and eye fatigue, and to improve clarity and cosmesis (appearance, which matters particularly in our “selfie” taking culture). Through exposure to pollutants, everyday wear and tear, and even cleanings, the coating simply breaks down. But were you to wear ANYTHING every single day for a year (shoes, a shirt), it would probably wear out in that time. Patient education is critical. I think anti-reflective coatings are worth the cost, as do many of my patients, but some don’t. And no one should be misled as to how long the coating will last with everyday use.
I paid 600.oo + for my crizal lenses and they are not any better than the last three lenses I bought. They leave smudge marks as bad if not worse than what I have bought prior and they are more expensive . I am very dissatisfied with the purchase.
It seems like people either love them or hate them. Thank you for your feedback.