Lens & Coatings Guide

Everything we put on a lens, explained in one page — so a product listing never has to hide behind jargon.

UV400 (every Meridian lens)

Blocks 100% of UVA and UVB light, up to 400 nanometers. This is baked into the lens material itself, is completely unrelated to how dark a lens looks, and is non-negotiable on every product we sell — clear demo lenses included.

Polarization

A filter that blocks horizontally-oriented reflected light: glare from water, wet roads, and hoods. Dramatic for driving and fishing; counterproductive around LCD screens and on snow, where you need to see icy sheen. That's why our wood wayfarers are polarized and our cycling shields and snow goggles deliberately are not.

Anti-reflective (AR)

Microscopic layers that stop light bouncing off the lens surface — the difference between seeing your screen or seeing your lamp's reflection. Standard on our optical, blue-light, and reading lenses. AR coatings are the most delicate layer on a lens, which is why how you clean matters; our alcohol-free care line exists for exactly this.

Blue-light filtering

Cuts roughly 40% of the 400–455 nm high-energy band screens over-emit, without a yellow tint. Reduces end-of-day eye fatigue for heavy screen users. It is a comfort feature with honest limits — our blog explainer covers what it does and doesn't do.

Mirror finishes

A reflective exterior coating that bounces light away before it enters the lens — functional at altitude and on water, undeniably good-looking everywhere. Mirror layers scratch before the lens beneath does, so store mirrored pairs in their case, always.

Anti-fog

A hydrophilic inner-lens treatment (built into our swim and snow goggles, spray-on for everything else) that stops condensation forming droplets. One rule: never wipe a goggle's inner lens — blot it and let it air-dry, or the treatment goes with the wipe.

Hardcoat

An anti-scratch layer on every lens we sell. "Scratch-resistant" means resistant, not immune: no coating survives a shirt-hem cleaning habit or a case-free pocket. Rinse first, microfiber always.