LENS TEMPERING -- HEAT vs CHEMICAL CASE HARDENING--This process involves placing a lens into an 1800 degree oven fo r a specified

time, which will be determined by the size, thickness, and weight of each individual lens. The lens will be heated to approach, but not exceed, it s melting point. When the lens reaches its "softened" state, it is automatically removed from the oven and immediately hit on both sides with cooling jets of ai r. The lens cools rapidly on the outer surface and more slowly at the inner core . This difference in cooling surfaces sets up a cushioning effect which allows t he inner core to absorb greater amounts of impact before fracturing. Upon breaki ng, a case tempered lens has a tendency to resolve itself into small, squared-of f, less injurious pieces, as opposed to non-tempered counterpart which tens to b reak into long, dangerously sharp slivers. Case hardening is not recommended for lenses which exceed six diopters of power. In addition, lenses which have becom e scratched or chipped should be replaced, since damaged lenses lose a great mea sure of their impact resistance. CHEMICAL TEMPERING--Like case hardening, chemical tempering sets up a harder out side surface around the softer inner core. However, it achieves this end through the proce4ss of ion exchange. When glass lenses are placed in a molten bath of potassium-based chemicals, the heat triggers an ion exchange. The smaller sodium molecules from the lens surface leave the lens, and are replaced with the large r potassium ions from the bath. This replacement of small molecules with larger ones creates a much harder and compact outer surface. Chemical tempering imparts much greater resistance to impact. This new chemical tempering process takes 2 hours; the old one took 14-16 hours. In general, it results in a measure of impa ct-resistance which is superior of that to heat treating. DROP BALL TEST Safety Test for minimum impact: Upon completion of the tempering process, it is necessary to test the lens to se e if it will withstand the impact standard of the industry. The test that is uti lized to check lens strength is called the drop ball test. In this test, it is n ecessary to place the tempered lens in a testing device which consists of a base and a guide tube through which a test ball will be dropped onto the surface of the lens. In the case of dress safety lenses (worn strictly for normal dress wear), a 5/8 inch ball weighing 6/10 ounces is dropped 50 inches onto the surface of the lens . In the case of industrial safety lenses (worn for industry or sports), a 7/8 inc h steel ball weighing approximately 1.5 ounces is dropped 50 inches onto the sur face of the lens. If the lens in either case fails to fracture, the lens is deemed adequate for th e application for which it was fabricated and tested. The lenses have now been m ade impact-resistant. An impact-resistant lens will be safer to wear, but at no time should ever be referred to as "unbreakable." All lenses have the potential to break and the purpose for tempering them is to increase their resistance to b reakage.