What are polycarbonate glasses?

Polycarbonate glasses are lightweight impact-resistant glasses composed of thermoplastic. These glasses offer an alternative to heavier plastic and glass eyeglasses. Because these glasses are less likely to break than other models, they are now the standard in safety glasses, sports goggles and children's eyeglasses.

Polycarbonate glasses are produced by heating small pellets until they melt in a process called injection molding. The liquid material is then placed into lens molds to cool in a process that only takes minutes. These glasses, which have been around since the 1980s, are less likely to break than glass eyeglasses and do not crack and scratch the way that plastic lenses do.