It’s the holiday season and with that comes vacation time for many people! A lot of people prefer going south for the winter to warmer climates and no one can really blame them! Yet, even in the winter time, we still need to protect our eyes – regardless of the temperature outside. While the winter may bring snow, sleet, and ice, the sun still hangs around – presenting dangerous ultra violet rays. How can you protect your eyes? Besides wearing sunglasses with the appropriate ultra violet protection, you should also invest in eyeglasses with photochromic lenses.
So, what are photochromic lenses? Well, you may know them by their commercial brand name “Transitions”. In short, when you step outside, you are exposed to UV light and with this exposure, photochromic lenses will dark – depending on the amount of UV light that is present in the atmosphere. When you step back inside, you generally remove the UV light and the lenses become clear. It’s almost like having a makeshift pair of sunglasses that revert to glasses in one quick shot and, for some, it removes the need for two sets of frames: eyeglasses and sunglasses. Photochromic lenses will protect your eyes from 100 percent of the ultraviolet radiation!
Most people believe that the sun is strongest in the summer and weakest in the winter but the fact is this: ultraviolet rays are still present year-round. This makes the need for protection even more important. Just as you’re told to wear sunscreen when you hit the slopes to go skiing or snowboarding because you can still get sun burnt, the same rings true during for your eyes. They still need protecting! As UV rays bounce off things like your car hood and even the snow, you need to be protected from the radiation.
Here are a few facts about photochromic lenses: they don’t transition automatically from light to dark and dark to light. It can take up to a minute for your lenses to fully transition – so if you buy a new pair of glasses and expect the instant transition, remember that they don’t work like they do in a 30-second commercial. Additionally, they may not get as dark as you want them to. Since they react based on the amount of UV light in the atmosphere, your glasses may not get as dark as sunglasses if the sky is cloudy or the sun’s rays are a little weaker that day.
Photochromic lenses do not make for cheap eyeglasses because the technology behind them is expensive. They are also extremely expensive to produce since they often have to be produce from scratch. If you’re looking to save a little cash this year, look online. This winter, if you are looking into buying glasses with photochromic lenses, look for online eyeglasses with the generic photochromic lenses – they’re the same as Transitions and will protect your eyes just the same. It’s important to protect your eyes, regardless of the season, so make sure you invest wisely in a pair of glasses that will absorb the ultraviolet rays fully.