A couple of weeks ago we attended a seminar conducted by the French lens manufacturer Essilor. One of the more interesting topics discussed was the performance of the new generation of self-tinting lenses, namely the Transitions VI lenses.

Transitions lenses have been on the market for a number of years and have certainly become market leaders for self-tinting lenses. Almost all lens manufacturers including Zeiss, Rodenstock, Hoya and Essilor offer their lens designs also with Transitions tints. The latest generation of these lenses (Transitionjs VI) are certainly proving to be working very well indeed in many light conditions.

Improvements are to be seen in the actual density of the tint as well as the time they take to go dark and/or light. A problem with many colour changing lenses in the past has been that they either do not clear fast enough or remain dark indoors. We found that in combination with a good anti-reflection coating, the performance of Transitions VI is much improved.

When combined with anti-reflective coating, indoor clarity and distracting glare blockage are further enhanced and they fade back to clear in 30% less time than uncoated lenses. A huge advantage.

We are really happy with this new development and although we have been rather skeptic about recommending colour-changing lenses in the past, the new lenses certainly provide us with a good option for those clients who do not want to carry separate sunglasses. This applies also for those with higher powered lenses. The combination of Transitions VI and a good anti-reflective coating allows us to produce aesthetically pleasing glasses for almost any prescription.

Transitions Lenses change from clear to dark in the presence of ultraviolet light, and block 100% of harmful UV rays. The Transitions tint is now available in nearly every lens design and material, including shatter-resistant lenses, bifocals, trifocals, progressives, and standard and high index materials. The main performance features are:

• Almost as clear as regular clear lenses indoors
• Even clearer with an anti-reflective coating (our recommendation)
• As dark as most sunglasses outside in bright light
• Fast to activate
• Fast to fade back (with anti-reflective coating)
• Block 100% of harmful UV rays
• Reduce the effects of glare
• Reduce eye fatigue
• Improve contrast
• Offer the right tint at the right time in changing light.

You can experience the Transitions performance by clicking here