Flatter lenses will allow the frame to sit closer to the eyes, and this effect reduces what?

• A. Closer to eyes, increasing magnification
• B. Closer to eyes, reducing magnification
• C. Further from eyes, reducing magnification
• D. Further from eyes, increasing magnification

Answer: (B)

The key idea is how the distance between the eye and the lens (vertex distance) changes the size appearance of objects seen through spectacles. Flatter lenses let the frame sit closer to the eyes, reducing that vertex distance. When the lens sits closer, the light entering the eye is less spread out by the lens over the eye’s pupil, which lessens the angular size change of the image seen through the lens. In other words, bringing the frame in reduces the magnifying effect of the lens, so distant objects appear less enlarged.