"Transitions" eye glass wearers, your help is requested!!!!!!!

[RickinNYC]

Hey folks. Have a question if you don't mind. Years and years ago, when I was 13, I thought I'd be hip and get the polarized glasses, the kind that turn darker in sunlight. Mind you, this was 26 years ago.

The glasses never got clear, in fact not even remotely close to clear. They were always pretty dark, even indoors. They just went from kind of dark to super dark.

This was in '79, so it was ok then, but I quickly got tired of them.

Anyway, I'm in the market for a new pair of glasses. I have a couple of nice pairs that are normal, not sunglasses. So I thought I'd buy myself the kind that change dark in sunlight.

Here's my conundrum. Do they really get light enough to be normal eyeglasses when one is not in the sun? Or do they still stay dark?

The eyeglass pro I spoke to kept insisting that they did get almost clear, but I was skeptical.

Any/ALL suggestions would be helpful!

 

[Boston Tea Party]

That is my pet peeve about my glasses. They always seems to have a gray haze on them. I feel like I am starring in some '70's porn movie.

When I get new ones they will not be transitions.

 

[froglady]

I tried them a few years ago, but my problem was that they didn't get dark enough in the sun, especially when driving, when they hardly changed at all.

I have dark, polarized sunglasses that I wear outdoors, as I have very sensitive eyes. They don't change color at all, but are helpful for driving in the rain during daylight hours, as they eliminate water glare (very important here in FL) and for seeing under the surface of the water (also important to see fish, esp nasty fish.)

 

[RickinNYC]

That is my pet peeve about my glasses. They always seems to have a gray haze on them. I feel like I am starring in some '70's porn movie.

When I get new ones they will not be transitions.

LOL! That is exactly what I am afraid of! And the same thing I said to the salesguy.

Maybe if I put on some bellbottoms and let my hair grow back into the David Cassidy 'do I used to have many many years ago, I wouldn't mind.

Anyone else agree with the above statements?

 

[Chicago526]

My dad had them for a time. All I remember was that they wouldn't get dark while driving in a car, he still needed to put on clip-ons crazy2: ). But when he was outside, they did change. I don't remember if he had any problems with them being too dark inside though.

 

[smilie]

let my hair grow back into the David Cassidy 'do I used to have many many years ago

OMG!!!! We need PICS!!

 

[RickinNYC]

OMG!!!! We need PICS!!

HECK NO!

I don't have much that I can call my own, so I am grasping at whatever dignity I can keep. I don't need to post a pic to throw all that out the window. I do enough on a daily basis.

 

[Jessd]

My 11 year old son has the Transition lenses. We haven't had any problems with them at all. They get dark outside and they do turn completely clear when not outdoors.

The reason we bought them is because they are clear inside. I didn't want it to be an issue with his teachers in school if the lenses didn't turn absolutely clear.

We bought them last year in August and haven't had any problems at all.

 

[RickinNYC]

Thanks Jess!

FYI to the other posters, we live in NYC and don't have a car, hence the driving component is not an issue at all.

 

[ncbyrne]

I have Transitions and I love them! However, I also have four other pairs of glasses - you know, gold frames for when you wear gold jewelry, silver - ditto, navy blue rims, and deep red rims. I originally bought the Transitions specifically for a WDW trip. I was so tired of changing glasses (clear to sun, sun back to clear) every time we'd go indoors! And for those reasons, the Transitions are wonderful - and yes, mine get completely clear. The only problem with them is that they don't get dark enough when driving a car since you are sitting in the shade. (maybe if I had a sunroof?). But, if I could only have one pair - I'd skip the Transitions.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I tried them a few years ago, but my problem was that they didn't get dark enough in the sun, especially when driving, when they hardly changed at all.

I had them a few years ago and they barely got dark. I was lucky and Lense Crafters took them back and I got regular lenses. I was thinking about them again and am hoping they are better now. I have a pair of dark polarized lenses that are great most of the time, but sometimes the polarization make it impossible to read a display and you see wierd patterns on tinted windows.

 

[Blondie]

Transitions have come a long way over the years. They clear right up now, years ago they didn't and stayed an off color.

As far as not getting dark enough, I've found that the longer I'm outside in the sun, the darker they become and it's good enough for me.

My only gripe is, as previously stated, they don't really get dark inside the car while driving.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Anyone else agree with the above statements?

Yep...last time I got glasses they gave me the whole song and dance.

Now Polarized lenses are the sunglasses that just cut the glare and you can still see your eyes.

I bought the "dark glasses" and the gal kept telling me to get the polarized ones. I insisted I wanted DARK GLASSES for boating and to hide my eyes. It took awhile to get used to them but I am glad I did go for the dark glasses.

The thing I could not stand about the Transitions is that if someone takes a picture of you they will be dark. I HATED that!

 

[IloveDMB]

My only gripe is, as previously stated, they don't really get dark inside the car while driving.

The reason they don't work behind the wheel of a car is because your windshield has a natural UV filter to it. They should still work a little bit, just not to full capacity. If you really want them to get really dark, leave them in direct sunlight for an hour to activate them.

While the transitions won't go completely clear indoors, they shouldn't be so dark that you would notice a difference in color.

I always recommend Transitions to my customers, they are like sunscreen for your eyes.

 

[Brianne]

I think they've improved the concept quite a bit over the years. I know my father had problems with it a few years ago--they always stayed dark. But I got the Transitions a few months ago & haven't had any problems with my glasses at all.

Lenscrafters has it in 3 different colors as well now. I'm very tempted, just for the fun of it.

 

[RickinNYC]

Thanks everyone for your input!

 

[scarlett873]

I just got my new glasses and have the transistions lenses...they don't get as dark as I like when driving, but I have sunglasses for that...I have no problems with them going back to clear again either. They're dark enough when I'm outside...but not while driving!

 

[NC Belle]

You might want to ask to see a sample of the product to compare. The retail staff at the optical store where I used worked at would pull some transitions lenses out and leave one clear and then put one under the uv lamp so they could show the customer. I would only recommend asking when the store is slow.

 

[Drnifer]

The new generation of transitions lenses are great and are almost clear when not exposed to sunlight. We even recommend them for our pediatric patients. When they're in the office you can't even tell who has transitions and who doesn't. (unless you're really looking for it...)

 

[eclectics]

I hated mine! Although, like some others here, mine were purchased a while back. Mine never got clear again when I went indoors. When I went last year for new glasses, the opthomologist swore up and down the new ones they have now are much improved, but I didn't bite. I might try them next time though. Putting sunglasses off and on constantly is a bit of a pain.