Transitions Lenses? As good as shades or not?

[jteef]

They excel at making you look like a tool.

agree; they are good if you want to look like a guy named Chester, with a certain affinity for handling unwilling objects.

 

[SunnyD]

Hmm... I haven't paid attention, but my wife points out that my daughter's lenses get fairly dark in the car.

 

[Imp]

No. They have piss-poor coverage because people usually get small frames for glasses, though I have seen a lot of Wayfarer types around. Virutally no base-curve relative to good wrap-around sunglasses.

Apparently, they wear out after 3 years too, but I'm assuming you plan on replacing your glasses within that time frame.

 

[Dedpuhl]

I like mine; however, I prefer to wear contacts + sunglasses if I plan on being outside for an extended period of time.

 

[Imdmn04]

The one thing I don't like about them is that they get dark even when it is grey/cloudy out, there is still enough UV to make them go dark even on a day with no sun.

 

[Anonemous]

I think some of you are judging transitions based on the transitions of old. They've been much improved. No tint indoors and fast changing outdoors. I got my first pair many years ago and was not happy with them because of indoor tint and slow changing. The new ones are great.

Got them last year, paid over 200+ for the lenses. Even the optometrist kinda warned me that they were a waste of money.

 

[qliveur]

I have transition lenses, and like them, but you must understand that they do not work when you are driving. The windshield of your car blocks the UV rays that cause the glasses to tint, so they remain perfectly clear when driving.

I have a pair of prescription sunglasses for when I drive.

This. I've had Transitions before and their uselessness in the car made them not worth their ridiculous price tag, IMO.

Just get a pair of script sunglasses.

 

[dr150]

Nver as dark as true polarized lenses. The Transitions lens get dark and then light very slowly. It's VERY annoying when going from indoors to outdoors and vice versa.



Best is to suffer the karma and have TWO glasses.......One stylish looking sunglass pair of great quality that is versatile for sports and of course your RX glasses--hopefully of lightweight titanium.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I've had them but never really cared for them. In cold weather (I live in Minnesota), they get dark really fast but are very slow to lighten again - I always found myself sitting at lunch with dark glasses on. I wear polarized prescription sunglasses when I want sunglasses - the Transitions lenses never really provided the level of darkness I prefer. I know some people like Transitions but I doubt I'd ever buy them again.

EDIT: My Transitions lenses were whatever the best ones were in 2009 - as far as I know they used the same technology as the ones made now.

 

[PieIsAwesome]

They've improved. My old ones always had a yellow tint to them that got worse and worse. My new ones are completely clear, and never show a hint of yellowness. They get pretty dark (maybe 60%?), but in the car they get only slightly dark because the windshield blocks the UV rays that cause the dye in the glasses to darken.

But I stick with RX sunglasses and non-transition eyeglasses now. Got the transitions for free with my insurance, so no loss. I just keep the shades in the car, switch to eyeglasses when I leave.

 

[esun]

I had a pair about 8 years ago and I did not like them for the same reasons others have mentioned. They never got dark enough or light enough for my liking. Glare reduction was basically non-existent compared to quality polarized lenses. Next chance I got I went to traditional lenses. I have a pair of prescription sunglasses but also contacts and regular sunglasses nowadays.

 

[Freshgeardude]

I do Contacts + sunglasses, but my regular glasses are transition.


like everyone above said, during driving, they dont fully go dark. Id say 20% its capacity and its hard to notice because its very little and it takes a good while to get there


they are designed, imo, for being out doors, like in a field or something, where the sun is beating on you hard ( no pun intended)

 

[Stuxnet]

I can't stand my transition lenses. I bought a new pair of glasses last year with transitions, and I only wear them when I can't find my original pair of glasses. I have a very weak prescription, so my glasses are featherweight... except for the transitions. Transitions make your glasses thicker and heavier, don't work in the car, and don't do a very good job even in direct sunlight.

Get regular glasses and a pair of rx sunglasses.