Are Photochromic Lenses Worth It?

Are Photochromic Lenses Worth It?

Photochromic lenses, also known as light-adaptive lenses, are lenses that start off clear, or nearly clear, and then darken when exposed to sunlight. If that still isn’t ringing a bell - you may know them as transition lenses, because Transitions Optical is the most popular brand of photochromic lenses sold in America. Whatever name you might know them by, it is important to note that these lenses are not right for everyone. Find out if these light-adaptive lenses are a good fit for you.

Why Wear Photochromic Lenses?

Do you need to buy photochromic lenses? Some people who wear prescription glasses also purchase prescription sunglasses. They alternate between the two glasses throughout the day. However, switching back and forth can be very tedious and in this case, you might want to consider purchasing photochromic lenses.

Is transition lenses only for those who wear prescription glasses? The answer is no. There are some occasions where you might want to protect your eyes from the sun, but you don’t want to wear dark-tinted sunglasses. For example, if you go on a hike or bike through the woods there might be some areas where you are hit with direct sunlight and other areas where it is surrounded by shade. Your sunglasses may be too dark for the shaded area, so what do you do? There is the option to purchase sunglasses with a lighter tint, but these may be too light for the areas of direct sunlight. The other thing you can do is keep your dark sunglasses and just remove them when the lighting is low, but then you will be exposed to harmful UV rays when you are not wearing your sunglasses. In this scenario, buying photochromic lenses might be your best bet. It will automatically change tint in different lighting and will always keep you protected from UV rays.

How Do Photochromic Lenses Work?

The thing that causes the photochromic lenses to darken is actually ultraviolet radiation (UV rays). This means that on sunny and overcast days the lenses will still transition to a darker shade. It can be noted that because of this, photochromic lenses will not darken inside a vehicle. This is because car windshields block UV rays. Therefore, if you often wear your shades in a car, photochromic lenses may not be your best option.

As a side note, if you have LED screens in your car, like navigation, then nonpolarized lenses is the way to go. Read the article about polarization for more information.

The science behind photochromic lenses are the layered dyes composed of carbon-based molecules that make them up. These molecules move in response to the changes in light. Whenever the lenses are exposed to UV rays, the molecules change to form bonds which make the lenses darker. When the light exposure decreases, the molecules then break the bonds and it transitions back to clear. It does take a little bit longer for the lenses to turn back from dark to clear than it does for the lenses to darken because the breakage of the bond takes more energy than the formation of it.

Benefits of Photochromic Lenses

• Photochromic lenses are versatile, you can wear them indoors and outdoors.
• You don’t have to keep track of two different glasses when you go out. One pair of glasses will be all you need for any adventure you go on.
• You will be protected from harmful UV rays all day long.
• If you do wear prescription glasses, buying photochromic lenses might actually save you money. One pair of prescription photochromic glasses will be all you need.

Drawbacks of Photochromic Lenses

• Photochromic lenses darken with ultraviolet rays, which means they will not be effective behind UV protected materials like car windshields.
• Different types of weather affect the speed of the transition of the lenses. In colder weather, the lenses darken faster, but in warmer weather, it takes a little longer to fully transition.
• Photochromic lenses transition faster as they go from clear to dark than from dark to clear. This has to do with the chemical composition of the photochromic lenses that breaks and forms bonds to change the color of the lenses.

Activation of Transition Lenses

You might buy photochromic shades that don’t seem to be working. Sometimes, the photochromic properties need to be activated, so try the following trick before you get frustrated.

Place your lenses in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, take them outside in direct sunlight. You should then start to see the color change. If this still doesn’t work, then the lenses might be defective. If you ordered from Fuse Lenses, you are covered by our 60-day guarantee and we will be happy to ship you a new set!

Summary

• Photochromic lenses are known by many names. The most famous might be transition lenses, but they are also known as light-adaptive lenses.
• Buying photochromic lenses might be a good fit for some, and for others, it might not be worth the extra expense. If you’re constantly switching between your sunglasses and prescription glasses or are in an area where the amount of sunlight varies, then it might be a good idea to look into buying transition lenses.
• Photochromic lenses work by reading the intensity of ultraviolet radiation. On a sunny day, there are more amounts of UV rays, therefore the lenses will be at its darkest. On cloudy days the sunglasses will have light tint because UV rays still get through, but not as much. Inside, where there are no UV rays, the glasses will be clear.
• Photochromic lenses have layered dyes composed of carbon-based molecules. These molecules move in response to the changes in light. To learn more about the specifics of how they work, make sure to read the section, “How Do Photochromic Lenses Work?”
• Some benefits of photochromic lenses are as follows. You can wear these glasses both indoors and outdoors. If you usually carry two different pairs of glasses, your sunglasses, and prescription glasses, you will now only have to carry one, your transition lenses. Your eyes will be protected from UV rays, regardless whether your glasses are in the lightest or darkest shade of transition. Your transition lenses might save you money in the long run if you have to constantly buy two different pair of glasses.
• Some of the drawbacks of buying transition lenses are as follows. Photochromic lenses will not work inside a car since most windshields have UV protection and that is how the lens is activated. In colder weather, the lenses darken faster, but in warmer weather, when you really need them to work, it takes a little longer to fully transition. Photochromic lenses take longer to turn from dark to clear than from clear to dark.
• If you receive photochromic lenses that don’t seem to be working, put them in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes and then take it outside in direct sunlight. This should activate them and should make it work. If you are still having trouble with your lenses, Fuse will ship you a new set.