Ophthalmic Lenses Ophthalmic lenses are lenses designed to compensate for some vision problems called refractive errors (or refractive errors - myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia or astigmatism). They differ from the lenses used in optical instruments because they are lenses designed to produce an interaction with the human eye, thus correcting the vision problem. They can be produced with mineral materials, such as glass, or organic, such as polycarbonates.