Zircon and zirconia have also been used in the manufacture of special glasses for optical and ophthalmic applications, where the addition of these materials provides high refractive indices and increases durability and resistance.

Zirconium’s nature has allowed its wide use in coating and functionalization of glass. Bending strength and toughness improvements have been reported as a result of the addition of zirconia nanoparticles to glass mixtures before sintering. Thermal and chemical resistant glasses have also been fabricated with the presence of Zircon and Zirconia particles in the glass mixtures. Other uses include super-hydrophobic Zirconium compounds in anti-icing coatings on glass surfaces, Zirconium oxide particles as dopants for porosity in photon active glass, and Y-PSZ to alter the crystallization behavior of certain glasses.