CR-39 Plastic Lenses: Why They’re Still a Great Choice for Eyeglasses
By Jon J. Trutt
Published: 9/29/2026
When people hear “plastic lenses,” they don't always think of quality. Plastic can sound cheap. Basic. Maybe even a little old-fashioned.
But “plastic” doesn't tell the whole story. And that's exactly why I love CR-39®.
It isn't the thinnest lens material. It isn't the most impact-resistant. And it definitely isn't the newest material on the block.
But for most standard prescriptions, I think CR-39 offers one of the best combinations of optical quality, scratch resistance, weight, versatility, and value you'll find in an eyeglass lens.
And here's something a lot of people don't realize: CR-39 is still one of the leading spectacle-lens materials in the world. Despite all the newer materials available today, standard 1.50 plastic remains the workhorse of the optical industry.
And it's been around for a while.
From B-17 Bombers to Eyeglasses
CR-39 has a pretty cool backstory. The name stands for “Columbia Resin #39,” referring to the 39th polymer developed as part of the Columbia Resins research project. The project began in 1940 under Pittsburgh Plate Glass (PPG), with research carried out through its Columbia-Southern Chemical subsidiary.
During World War II, Columbia-Southern developed a line of roughly 200 different polymers as researchers searched for new materials for aircraft applications. Of those 200, the 39th formulation would become CR-39. It was eventually used to produce glass-reinforced fuel tanks for B-17 bombers, helping reduce weight and increase range.
But CR-39's story didn't end there. After the war, Robert K. Graham saw potential for the material in something completely different: eyeglasses. His company, Armorlite®, is credited with manufacturing the first CR-39 spectacle lenses in 1947.
And just like that, a material born out of wartime research went from bomber fuel tanks to the faces of millions of glasses wearers.
Sometimes, Simple Is the Smart Choice
Not every prescription needs the thinnest lens material available. Not every patient needs the highest impact resistance. And not everyone needs to spend more just to get characteristics they may never notice.
That's where CR-39 continues to make a lot of sense.
For many everyday prescriptions, CR-39 offers excellent optical quality, a relatively light weight, good scratch resistance when properly treated, and a price that's hard to ignore. It may not win every category on paper, but it doesn't need to.
The goal isn't always to find the most advanced lens material. It's to find the material that makes the most sense for the prescription, the frame, and the person wearing it.
And sometimes, that material is CR-39. Because quality doesn’t always have to be expensive.
The Optics Are Excellent
This is probably CR-39's biggest advantage.
CR-39 has an index of refraction of about 1.498 and an Abbe value of approximately 58.
What's an Abbe value? In simple terms, it's an indication of how much chromatic aberration, or color fringing, a lens material can produce. Higher is generally better.
For perspective:
In terms of Abbe value, CR-39 is remarkably close to crown glass.
That can translate into excellent visual clarity and less noticeable chromatic aberration than you'll generally get from lower-Abbe materials.
Scratch Resistance Comes Standard
There's an interesting misconception about “tough” lenses.
Impact resistance and scratch resistance are two completely different things.
Polycarbonate is extremely impact resistant, but that doesn't make it especially resistant to scratching. CR-39, on the other hand, is naturally more scratch resistant than many newer plastic lens materials. When you're comparing the materials themselves, it's second only to glass.
And while a good hard coating can significantly improve scratch resistance, the underlying lens material still matters. A coating is only part of the equation.
That's one of the things I like about CR-39. Even before you add a hard coat, the material itself has relatively good surface hardness compared with many other lens materials.
Of course, scratch-resistant doesn't mean scratch-proof. Proper lens care still matters. Dragging dust and dirt across any lens with a shirt or rough fabric isn't doing it any favors.
The material matters. The coating matters. And how you care for your lenses matters, too.
A Tint Above the Rest
There's another reason CR-39 rocks: it takes tint exceptionally well.
Compared with other lens materials, CR-39 absorbs dye more readily and evenly, making it easier to achieve rich, consistent color. Whether you're matching a demo, looking for a subtle tint or darker sun tint, or creating something more customized, CR-39 gives the lab a lot to work with.
It's another one of those things CR-39 does really well without needing to be the newest or most expensive material on the market.
What About Other Materials?
Every lens material has a job.
High-index is great for stronger prescriptions. It bends light more efficiently, allowing a high prescription to be made thinner and more cosmetically appealing. The trade-off is generally a lower Abbe value than CR-39.
Poly and Trivex® are great choices when impact resistance is the priority, and their high tensile strength (crack resistance) make them ideal for drill mounts and rimless frames, where standard plastic is more prone to cracking or splitting. That's also why they're so useful for safety eyewear, sports, and children's glasses. Their optical characteristics, however, aren't quite on the same level as CR-39.
And that's really the point: there is no perfect lens material. You choose the material based on what matters most for the individual wearer and their lifestyle.
Why Plastic Is Still My Go-To
For the average prescription, CR-39 checks an impressive number of boxes:
Very affordable
Excellent optical quality with its high Abbe value
Highly scratch resistant
Lightweight compared with glass, while ranking second only to glass in Abbe value and scratch resistance.
Easy to tint
Proven for decades
It isn't the thinnest material. It isn't the toughest. It isn't the newest. And it doesn't have to be.
For everyday eyewear, CR-39 is just an awesome all-around lens material. Sometimes the classic choice is still the right choice. Never Underestimate Plastic!
CR-39® and Trivex® are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
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