Photochromic glasses or lenses were a big step forward in the world of lenses. But what exactly does it mean for a glass to be photochromic?
Photochromic lenses are those whose lenses darken or lighten depending on how bright they are at all times. That is, when sunlight (or ultraviolet) falls on them, they darken. And on the contrary, in the absence of light, they become clear.
An advantage for use in some sports that are carried out outdoors, such as cycling. In fact, it is important to clarify that this photochromic property of the lenses only works outdoors, when exposed to ultraviolet light, and not under artificial light.
As we said, photochromic sunglasses are ideal for sports with continuous changes in light conditions, such as golf, cycling or even triathletes who participate in “IronMan” style races (which last day and night).
But of course, not all are advantages. Therefore, below we will talk about its different benefits and drawbacks so that you can decide for yourself if this type of glasses is an interesting option for you at Designeroptics.com offers prescription sunglasses.
Advantages of using Photochromatic Lenses:
- They adapt to the brightness of the moment: Without a doubt, this is their greatest advantage par excellence and the main core of their appeal. In the sports mentioned, often practiced for hours, it is common for the luminosity to change throughout the day, and being equipped with photochromic type glasses avoids the athlete the hassle of having to remove the lenses or change to another type glasses darker or lighter. In cases where there is a change in brightness, the glasses will not reduce your vision at all, on the contrary, it will adapt to the conditions.
- Protection and comfort: By not having to go around taking off and putting on our glasses depending on the brightness, we avoid getting something in our eye during sports, distractions, and it is simply more comfortable. In addition, all photochromic glasses have 100% protection against UVA rays, that is, against the sun's rays that are harmful to the health of our eyes.
Disadvantages of Using Photochromatic Lenses:
- Adaptation to light is not instantaneous: Lenses do not adapt to changes in light instantly, but usually take about a minute, and in some cases, it can even take hours. It will also depend on the environment in which we find ourselves, and if we continuously go from light to dark.
- They lose effectiveness: In general, the photochromic effect eventually loses its effectiveness and the crystals end up turning yellowish or grayish. They are not suitable for cases where there is extreme exposure to sunlight (such as in the snow, when skiing).
- Only outdoors: As mentioned above, this type of photochromic lens will not help you at all in closed spaces such as inside the car, since the windshields have ultraviolet filters that prevent these crystals from being activated.
- Limited by temperature: Sometimes it happens that with very high temperatures they do not darken, and on the contrary, with very cold temperatures they do not clear. At higher temperatures the photochromic lens darkens much less. In areas of the beach with higher temperatures it can cause problems, so it is interesting to check the temperature ranges in which the lenses perform their function effectively before purchasing them. In the same way that with too much heat they do not darken, in very cold situations photochromic glasses become very dark. This, depending on the situations, can force you to remove your glasses because sometimes it can take hours to return to their normal state.
Therefore, if you are a lover of outdoor sports and you are looking for quality glasses that allow you to practice optimal and comfortable sports, do not hesitate to get yourself some photochromic glass glasses, they will become your best ally.
