When it comes to sport sunglasses, Oakley is front and center. Their Prizm lenses are designed for everyday or sports, and have many details that are important to know before you make your purchase.
In This Article
Lens Material and Construction
All Oakley lenses are made of Plutonite, which is Oakley's proprietary polycarbonate lens. The lenses are extremely impact-resistant. I've seen sales reps take a hammer to a lens and try to shatter it to no effect. The lenses meet or exceed ANSI Z87.1 standards for high-velocity and high-mass impact resistance. While many Oakley lenses inherently meet these criteria, not all models undergo official certification unless they're part of Oakley's Industrial or Standard Issue (SI) line.
Keep in mind, even if the lenses themselves are impact-resistant, to be certified as ANSI Z87.1, both the lenses and the frame must be tested together. Lenses alone, outside of their frame, are not typically certified independently for workplace safety.
All Oakley lenses block 100% of UVA, UVB, and UVC rays.
Polycarbonate is one of the worst lens materials for optical clarity and chromatic aberration. This means that objects and colors further in the distance will appear less clear and colors less sharp. But this is relative to glass or nylon or other materials. It does not mean Oakley lenses feel blurry or dull, just that some may notice a small difference in this respect vs other lens materials. To me, Oakley lenses do not have any clarity issues but I feel like they are missing some of the "magic" that glass lenses have.
Oakley has lens technology that is called High Definition Optics and XYZ Optics. These are related to each other and have to do with the lens curve not causing distortion. Standard lenses can distort vision, especially at the edges, causing images to appear warped or shifted, especially when the lens is more curved, which is common for sport frames. When light passes through a lens, it can bend (refract), leading to visual inaccuracies. HDO eliminates blurriness and magnification errors common in less advanced lenses, giving wearers sharper vision.
XYZ Optics is a specific component of the HDO system designed to maintain clarity and accuracy across the entire lens, especially at the periphery. Most lenses have optical clarity in the center but distort vision as you look toward the edges. XYZ Optics addresses this problem by optimizing lens geometry, providing wide-angle clarity. The technology also helps maintain consistent light transmission across the lens surface, reducing glare and enhancing overall clarity.
Oakley claims this technology sets them apart from other lens manufacturers, and did some videos with SportRX about it. As quoted in this excellent article by Outside Online, an "Oakley rep claimed that, due to Oakley’s 1989 discovery of and patent on XYZ lens tapering of curved lenses in vertical, horizontal, and thickness directions (X, Y, and Z directions), simultaneously, other brands cannot duplicate this non-bending of light beams. He further claimed that there would be a greater strain on and damage to the eyes behind non-Oakley glasses since they would be doing extra work to resolve a distant object into a single image."
However, the author of that article interviews other lens makers who confirm there is nothing too special about these technologies, that the patents have expired, and that all competitive brands use similar methods in their own products.
What's most laughable about it is that it is something you can experience and see for yourself. Put a pair of Oakleys next to some glass lenses from brands like Maui Jim, Serengeti, Costa Del Mar, or Vuarnet and there is no question Oakley is a step behind these brands in terms of clarity.
Lens Coatings or Lack Thereof
Oakley does not put many coatings on their non-prescription lenses. The main coating that is applied to most of their lenses is called Iridium, a metal coating on the lens that reflects light to give a unique look.
Oakley describes its Iridium lenses as having a "12-micron jacket" to emphasize the thin yet precise application of their specialized coating. A micron is one millionth of a meter. A 12-micron layer is extremely thin—equivalent to about 0.00047 inches. The Iridium coating is applied with extreme accuracy using a process called vacuum deposition. This method ensures a smooth, even layer of metallic oxides across the lens.
There is no indication that Oakley puts an anti-reflective coating on their lenses and definitely no hydrophobic (anti-water), Oleophobic (oil-resistant), or scratch-resistant coatings which are standard for premium lenses from other brands at the same price point. Some sales reps, including from SportRX, have told me there is AR coating included, but I believe they are mistaken. The side glare and reflections on non-wrap frames are annoying, but it is not an issue on wrap frames where there is no light getting in from the sides.
It is disappointing that Oakley does not have a full suite of coatings included on their lenses. I cannot think of a valid reason other than cost-saving for not including them. While Oakley excels in areas like impact resistance and optical clarity (for a poly lens), skipping coatings is likely a cost-saving measure that risks putting them behind competitors like Maui Jim, Costa, and Revo in terms of overall lens quality for discerning users.
Where Oakley does add a full coating suite is on their prescription lenses. Here they add OAKLEY STEALTHâ„¢ PRO, which has AR, anti-scratch, hydrophobic, oleophobic, and even anti-static coatings. I can confirm my prescription Prizm Ruby lenses have an AR coating. I guess once people are putting down serious money Oakley feels forced to step up their offering.
Lens Durability and Fragility
There are several issues to be concerned about for Oakley lenses in terms of durability, but by far the two biggest are scratch resistance and delamination.
Polycarbonate, though excellent for impact resistance, is already a very scratch-prone material because of how soft and flexible it is. But Oakley's Iridium mirrors take the scratch issue to the next level. They even say it themselves here on their product care page, but I will post a screenshot in case that link gets removed.
Having to treat your sports lenses with "special care to avoid scratching" is very disappointing. They should be as scratch-resistant as possible and include the best hard coatings on top like brands like Revo have. The lenses really do scratch at the smallest of impacts. I baby my lenses and it is just unavoidable.
The second issue is delamination. If you get any oil or grease like sun lotion on the lenses for too long, the mirror coating and even the lens itself can start to bubble and peel off. This is also true of having the lenses out in high heat like keeping them in a parked car. This is not unique to Oakley, is more common for polycarbonate lenses, but it is still something to keep in mind.
Both of these issues mean how you clean your lenses and how often are super important. If there is any grease on the lenses, do not put them away. Clean them. If there is any debris on the lenses like dust, sand from the beach, or any fibers, do not rub the lenses, even with a microfiber cloth. First, wash them off and put some mild dish soap or a non-abrasive lens cleaner on them. Otherwise, your lenses can look like this:
Avoid extreme temperatures, dirt, and grease, and remember to maintain your lenses.
Prizm Lens Technology - Where Oakley Shines
Now we get to the part of why so many people still buy Oakley lenses despite the issues raised above (aside from their formidable marketing). It is also the reason why I, as the owner of over 100 premium lenses from over 18 different brands, will still wear Oakley's fairly often: Prizm Lens Technology.
Oakley's Prizm Ruby lens was my first color enhancing lens and was my gateway into the world of premium sunglass lenses.
Oakley's Prizm lens technology is one of its most innovative features, designed to enhance color, contrast, and clarity. Unlike traditional lenses that may merely darken your view, Prizm lenses work to fine-tune the color spectrum by selectively filtering light wavelengths. This provides a sharper, more vibrant view, tailored to specific activities or environments.
The magic of Prizm lies in its ability to enhance colors that the human eye is naturally more sensitive to while muting others. This targeted filtration is especially beneficial in environments where small visual details can make a significant difference—like spotting a golf ball against the grass or identifying changes in the terrain while mountain biking.
Oakley accomplishes this by using dyes injected into the actual lens, not any coatings or dyes applied after the lens construction.
And it really works, though some lenses are better than others. Some users find the heightened color contrasts unnatural or distracting, and some people can't enough.
Oakley splits up their Prizm lenses into "Prizm Everyday" and "Prizm Sport" categories, with the "Everyday" lenses being a mix of grey or brown-based lenses with different mirror coatings, and the "Sport" lenses mostly being rose-based with some brown as well.
Here at Sunglass Science, we will go through all the Oakley Prizm lenses one by one to explain how Oakley has tuned each specific lens for its environment.
Conclusion - Oakley Prizm Lens Specs and Details
For everyday sunglasses, the lack of premium coatings can be a drawback for such a high price point, and the fragility of the lens is concerning. But for sports, the impact resistance combined with the Prizm tech keeps me coming back to Oakley again and again.
I have also never paid full price for a pair of Oakley's, which I don't think I could bring myself to do, instead usually get them on sale on Amazon, which has lower prices anyway (though be careful with the seller, as Oakley is one of the most counterfeited brands out there).
We have not discussed frames, but I think the Oakley Flak 2.0 XL is the best sport frame ever made and Oakley has struggled to come up with new designs to outshine their bestseller for over 10 years. It's because of that combination of frame plus Prizm that I usually choose Oakley for sports when I otherwise do not wear them.
