Photochromic lenses: are they worth it?

If you’re a glasses wearer like me, the thought of being able to automatically switch from indoor to outdoor glasses is fantastic. But is the promise of being able to wear futuristic, ‘light intelligent’ lenses supported by photochromic technology an idea that is too good to be true?

Stay with us as we break down the features, benefits, and some of the less positive aspects of photochromic lenses.

What Are Photochromic Lenses?

Also known as ‘transition’ lenses, glasses that contain a photochromic lens gradually transform when exposed to various degrees of light. If the wearer is indoors or in a dark setting, their photochromic glasses remain in their original form: clear and transparent. When exposed to either sunlight or artificial light, the photochromic lenses transition into a darker form, essentially turning into sunglasses.

While photochromic lenses share some similarities with polarised lenses in that both types of lens are beneficial in helping to block out harmful, glaring UV rays, they are also fundamentally different. Polarised lenses do not darken when exposed to light, which is a core feature of photochromic lenses.

The Positives: What Photochromic Lenses Do

If, like me, you find it extremely inconvenient to keep switching between your standard frames and your prescription sunglasses when you step between indoor and outdoor spaces, you will love photochromic lenses.

As these types of lenses adjust automatically to sun exposure, there’s no need to give it any thought: your photochromic glasses will do the work for you. The benefit of this also means that you don’t need to carry around an extra pair of glasses with you at all times, or do the annoying glasses swap around depending on whether you’re inside or outside.

If you’re keen to benefit from the ease and convenience of wearing glasses that adjust and transition with light exposure yourself, consider purchasing some from an optical retailer who specialises in distributing photochromic sunglasses in Australia.

Things to Consider: What’s Not so Great about Photochromic Lenses

As photochromic lenses adjust automatically to light exposure, the truth is that the wearer has no control over when, where, or to what degree they will darken or lighten.

The result? 

You might be inside a brightly lit shopping centre or supermarket, for example, and your photochromic lenses will automatically react to the fluorescent light overhead. This means you could be, embarrassingly, wandering around the aisles with unnecessarily darkened lenses. Not only does this make it harder to see indoors, but it’s also not a particularly flattering look, and will likely attract some bemused glances in your direction from other shoppers passing by.

Similarly, if you’re outside on a particularly grey or dreary winter’s day, your photochromic lenses may not darken enough, leaving you to deal with uncomfortable sun glare despite it being gloomy.

If this sounds a little too irritating to deal with, you might instead consider taking your prescription to your optician and obtaining contact lenses. That way, you’ll be able to wear normal sunglasses over your contacts and not need to worry about carrying around two different pairs of prescription glasses.

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As a glasses wearer who is constantly having to carry around both my normal glasses and my prescription sunglasses, I love the idea of having lenses that adjust automatically to the light.

Photochromic glasses do just that: when exposed to high levels of light, they adjust to darken into what could essentially be considered sunglasses. When indoors, however, they stay clear, functioning just as a normal pair of glasses would. Of course, aside from the convenience factor, this ease of wearing photochromic lenses means that they do the thinking for you. There’s also no need to swap between different types of glasses.

Of course, there is one downside: as photochromic lenses adjust automatically, you could be left with unnecessarily dark glasses in inappropriate settings, like fluorescently-lit supermarkets or shopping centres. There’s also the chance that the lenses won’t darken to a sufficient level when you’re outside.

Despite this, many people still choose to purchase photochromic lenses due to the convenience and ease of wear they offer. If you’re interested in purchasing a pair, it’s best to do your own research: in the end, the choice of which type of lens suits your lifestyle best is ultimately up to you.