Photochromic, Blue-Cut and "Anti-Radiation" Lenses: Which Are Worth It?

Updated 29 September 2026

Every optical shop in Quiapo will offer you upgrades. Some are worth the money and some are mostly marketing. Here is what each one does, what the evidence says, and when to pay for it.

Upgrade	What it does	Worth it?
Anti-reflective ("anti-radiation", multicoated)	Cuts reflections and glare on the lens	Yes, for almost everyone
Photochromic ("transition")	Darkens in sunlight, clears indoors	Yes, if you are outdoors a lot and don't want separate sunglasses
Blue-cut / blue light filter	Filters part of the blue light from screens	Optional; evidence says it doesn't reduce eye strain
High index (1.61, 1.67)	Thinner, lighter lenses	Yes, for strong prescriptions

"Anti-radiation" is really anti-reflective

In the Philippines, "anti-radiation" is the everyday name for an anti-reflective coating. It does not block radiation. What it does do is worthwhile: it reduces glare from lights and screens, makes night driving easier, and lets people see your eyes rather than reflections. For the few hundred pesos it adds, it is the one upgrade we'd always take.

Photochromic lenses

Photochromic lenses contain molecules that change shape under ultraviolet light and absorb visible light, so the lens darkens outdoors. Indoors, away from UV, they return to clear, losing most of the tint within about a minute and clearing fully a little later.

Three things to know before you buy:

They barely darken in a car. Windshields block most UV, so ordinary photochromics stay mostly clear while you drive. Keep sunglasses in the car.
Heat makes them lighter. Research shows photochromics get darker and slower to clear in the cold. In Philippine heat, expect a somewhat lighter tint and a quicker fade than the brochure photos.
Brand matters. Cheaper photochromics can react slowly or not clear fully indoors. Ask which brand you are getting.

TKR Optics' Rising Sun Morpheo is a newer photochromic designed to activate faster outdoors, clear more efficiently indoors and reach a deeper tint, with a coating built to resist peeling. It is sold as a branded generic, so it costs less than the big international names.

Blue-cut lenses

Blue-cut lenses are now standard in many Quiapo packages. The evidence for them is weak. A 2023 Cochrane review of 17 trials found that blue-light filtering lenses probably make no difference to eye strain from screens in the short term, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology does not recommend special glasses for computer use.

That doesn't make them harmful, and some people prefer how they look and feel. But if you are paying extra only to protect your eyes from your phone, the money is better spent on a good anti-reflective coating and regular breaks: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

High-index lenses

Higher-index lenses bend light more strongly, so they can be thinner for the same prescription. For mild prescriptions, standard 1.56 is fine. For strong prescriptions, 1.61 or 1.67 lenses are noticeably thinner and lighter, and they look better in thin frames.

What to ask in the shop

Which lens brand and index is this?
Is the anti-reflective coating included?
For photochromic lenses: how dark do they get, and how fast do they clear?
Is there a warranty on the coating?

Sources