Prescription lenses · Your own frames
Prescription sunglass lenses: keep your frames, add your Rx
Yes — almost any pair of sunglasses can be made with your prescription. At ReFramed we cut prescription lenses — single vision, bifocal or progressive, polarized or photochromic — to fit the frames you already own. You keep the sunglasses you love and add your Rx, with UV protection included.
How it works
Send your prescription and your frames. We handle the rest.
You do not need to buy a new pair of prescription sunglasses. If the frames you already wear are in good shape, we make lenses in your prescription and send them back fitted and ready to wear. It is the same lens replacement service, now with your Rx.
STEP 1
Send us your prescription
A photo of your eye doctor's prescription is enough. Our team reads it, validates it and confirms which lens type suits you. If the numbers confuse you — sphere, cylinder, axis, add — we will walk you through them at no cost.
STEP 2
Ship us your frames
Your Ray-Bans, your Oakleys or whichever pair you wear most. We receive them, measure them and check that the curve and the groove will take prescription lenses. Shipping details are on how it works.
STEP 3
We cut, fit and ship back
We cut the lenses to the exact shape of your frames, bevel them to follow the original curve and fit them in. We confirm the turnaround time when we quote, and your glasses come back ready to wear.
Lens types
Prescription sunglass lenses we can make
All of them are made in your prescription and cut to fit your frames. You can combine the optical design — single vision, bifocal or progressive — with whichever sun treatment you prefer: tinted, polarized or photochromic.
Single vision
One distance
The most common lens: the same power across the whole surface, for distance or for near only. It is the simplest to make and the one that fits curved sunglass frames best.
Progressive · Multifocal
Near and far, no line
Power shifts gradually from distance to near with no visible line. To make them we need your prescription with the add power plus a fitting height measurement, which we take with your frames in hand.
Bifocal
Two zones, visible line
Distance on top and a reading window at the bottom, split by a line. A straightforward classic if progressives never worked for you.
Photochromic
Darkens in sunlight
Clear indoors, dark outside: one pair for the whole day. Worth knowing if you drive a lot, since many photochromics do not darken behind a windshield. More in our photochromic lens guide.
Polarized with Rx
Kills the glare
The polarized filter is made with your prescription built in: it corrects your vision and cuts the glare off asphalt, water and snow. The best pick for driving, fishing or a day at the beach.
Tinted and mirrored
Same look, now prescription
Brown, gray, G15 green or mirrored: we pick the tint and apply it over your prescription lens. Torn between polarized and a plain tint? Read polarized vs. non-polarized.
The most common question
Photochromic or polarized with a prescription?
They solve different problems, so pick by use, not by price. Polarized attacks glare; photochromic attacks changing light. Lenses that combine both also exist, and we assess them against your prescription and your frames.
Choose polarized if…
- You want true sunglasses, dark all the time.
- You drive, fish, boat or ski: glare is your main problem.
- You spend most of your time outdoors in strong light.
- Reflections off wet asphalt or water bother you.
Choose photochromic if…
- You want a single pair for indoors and outdoors.
- You are in and out of the office or the house all day.
- You do not want to swap glasses or carry two cases.
- You can live with less darkening inside the car.
Compatibility
Which frames take prescription lenses
Most sunglass frames take a prescription. What decides it is curvature: the more wrapped the frame, the harder it is to make a strong prescription that stays optically correct and does not distort the image. That is why we review your frames together with your prescription before quoting, and tell you honestly whether it is worth it.
Almost always yes
- Flat or gently curved frames: wayfarer, aviator, round, classic square.
- Acetate or metal frames with a full rim holding the lens all the way around.
- Optical frames you want to turn into sunglasses in your same prescription.
- Low and moderate prescriptions, with or without astigmatism.
- Classic full-rim models from Ray-Ban and other brands.
We need to check first
- Heavily wrapped sport frames (base 8 curve): they take low prescriptions, not every Rx.
- Shield or one-piece Oakley styles where a single lens spans the whole face.
- Strong prescriptions or heavy astigmatism mounted in curved frames.
- Rimless or semi-rimless mounts, which require a minimum lens thickness.
- Frames with a broken temple, a cracked rim or acetate warped by heat.
FAQ
Prescription sunglass lenses: your questions answered
Can you put a prescription in sunglasses?
Yes. Sun lenses are made in your prescription — tinted, polarized or photochromic — and fitted into a sunglass frame. At ReFramed we do it in the frames you already own: you keep the sunglasses you like and add your Rx, with UV protection included.
Can I use my current sunglass frames for prescription lenses?
Yes, that is our core service: you ship us your sunglass frames, any brand, we make the lenses in your prescription and fit them to match the original curve. The only requirement is that the frames are in good condition. Heavily wrapped or sport frames get checked first.
Can polarized lenses be made with a prescription?
Yes. The polarized lens is made with your prescription built in: it corrects your vision and removes glare off asphalt, water and snow. It is the best option for driving and water sports, and we cut it to fit your current sunglass frames.
Do you make progressive or bifocal sun lenses?
Yes, we make single vision, bifocal and progressive sun lenses. For progressives we need a current prescription with the add power plus a fitting height measurement, which we take with your frames in hand. That way you see far and near in the same sunglasses.
Do I need a current prescription, and how do I send it?
Yes — ideally one less than two years old, since your vision changes. You send us a photo when you request a quote and our team validates it before we make anything. If you are unsure what your prescription says, we will read it for you at no cost.
Can prescription sunglasses be made just for reading?
Yes. If you only need to see up close, we make sun lenses with your reading add: ideal for reading at the beach or checking your phone outdoors. If you need both distance and near, a progressive sun lens covers it in a single pair.
How much do prescription sunglass lenses cost?
Buying a full prescription pair always costs more, because you pay for the frames again. With us you pay for the lenses and the fitting only: you will see the price when we quote, based on your prescription, the lens type and your frame model.
Can I turn my eyeglasses into prescription sunglasses?
Yes, and it is one of the most requested conversions. We take your optical frames, make sun lenses in the same prescription and you end up with a second pair for summer. The reverse works too: clear lenses for frames you currently wear as sunglasses.
What if my frames cannot take the fitting?
Before accepting the job we inspect the frames and flag any risk we see: dried-out acetate, a cracked rim or previous solder repairs. If we find the frames will not survive the fitting, we tell you before making anything and we do not proceed.
Do prescription sun lenses include UV protection?
Yes, our prescription sun lenses include UV protection. This matters: a dark lens with no UV filter makes your pupil dilate and lets more radiation in, so tint on its own is never the same thing as protection.
Let's start
The frames you love, now in your prescription
Send us a photo of your prescription and of the frames you want to fit. We will confirm whether they work, which lens suits you and the turnaround, before you pay anything.