What Does "Plano" Mean for Glasses?

Author name: Meredith Marmurek 

The term “plano” is used in eyewear when referring to lenses that have no magnification or corrective power to correct the wearer’s vision.  

As a popular fashion accessory, some people opt to wear fake glasses — not because they need them, but because they like how they look or need them for a costume. Others may wear non-corrective glasses with special coatings to help filter blue-violet light* or provide UV protection. 

Overview of Plano Lenses 

“Plano” is pronounced like “plain,” and that’s an easy way to remember that plano lenses are lenses without any prescription correction or magnification. You can get plano lenses completely plain (without any special features) or get them with anti-reflective coating or 100% UVA-UVB lens protection.   

You don’t need a prescription for plano lenses because they don’t have any corrective power prescribed by your eye doctor. Plano lenses are available in eyeglasses and sunglasses. 

Overview of Plano Glasses 

Plano glasses are glasses with plano or non-corrective lenses. It might seem strange to wear glasses if you don’t need vision correction, but it’s quite common. People wear plano glasses to:  

• Make a fashion statement – Embrace your inner nerd by donning a pair of oversized black frames. You might even feel a little smarter while you wear them. 

• Complete a costume – No Harry Potter costume is complete without glasses — a pair of round metal glasses, to be more precise. The same could be said about dressing up as other famous bespectacled characters, including Velma Dinkley (Scooby-Doo), Dwight Schrute (The Office), and Mirabel Madrigal (Encanto). 

• Filter blue-violet light* – Our blue light glasses help filter blue-violet light* from the sun and artificial sources, including digital screens.  

• Help with light sensitivity – If you have photosensitivity or photophobia, bright light may cause you to squint, close your eyes, or get headaches. Plano glasses with photochromic lenses can help. These lenses automatically darken in the sun and fade back to clear when you’re indoors.  

• Protect your eyes from injury – If you play sports or work in a job with a high risk for eye injury, safety glasses and sports goggles with plano lenses can help protect your eyes from debris and other hazards. 

• Correct vision in only one eye – If you only need vision correction in one eye, you can get glasses made with one prescription lens and one plano lens. 

• Protect your eyes from the sun’s damaging rays – Both clear eyeglass lenses and tinted sunglass lenses can be made with 100% UVA-UVB lens protection, even if you don’t need vision correction. 

What Are Demo Lenses? 

Demo lenses are the plainest of plano lenses. They’re used in demonstration frames in optical stores so people can try on different styles to see how they look. If you’ve ever tried on glasses in an optical store or in your eye doctor’s office, it’s likely that demo lenses were in the frames.  

Demo lenses are typically thinner (and lower-quality) than the plano lenses that come with plano glasses because their purpose is purely temporary. Since they’re just for show, they don’t have any special coatings or lens tints. Instead, demo lenses may have a brand label, price tag, or other identifying information.  

If a customer purchases a pair of demo frames for their new glasses, the demo lenses can easily be removed and replaced with their new prescription lenses.

Are Plano Lenses Safe? 

Plano glasses with plano lenses are safe to wear. They won’t affect your vision or hurt your eyes, and they’re a great choice if you like to wear glasses as a fashion accessory.  

Whatever your reason for wearing glasses, taking proper care of them can help you keep your lenses clear and your frames fitting comfortably.  

Even if you don’t currently need glasses, it’s a good idea to see your eye doctor every year for a comprehensive eye exam. They’ll check your vision and eye health and let you know if it may be time for glasses after all. 

*Blue-violet light is between 400 and 455nm as stated by ISO TR20772-2018. (ISO: International Standards Organization – “Ophthalmic optics – Spectacles lenses – Short Wavelength visible solar radiation and the eye, FD ISO/TR 20772”)  

SOURCES: 

1. Non-prescription glasses: What to know before buying them. All About Vision. February 2021.** 
2. Fake eyeglasses: What they are and why they’re trending. All About Vision. August 2019.** 
3. Famous frames: Shop the glasses of your favorite TV and film characters. Glasses.com. October 2023.** 
4. Photophobia (light sensitivity). All About Vision. March 2019.** 
5. Safety glasses and protective eyewear. All About Vision. February 2019.** 
6. Glasses for one eye. Essilor. Accessed August 2024.** 

The sources listed here have been provided for informational purposes only. The citation of a particular source does not constitute an endorsement or approval of EssilorLuxottica products, services, or opinions by such source.   

**Like Foster Grant, All About Vision, AAV Media, LLC, Glasses.com, and Essilor are affiliates of EssilorLuxottica.