Sy Reene

Not sure I understand your future solution. Are you saying the transition lenses don't get dark enough for you? Also, they take time to clear coming in from the sun, yes.. but regular prescription sunglasses (future solution) won't clear at all when you come inside?

KraneXL

They keep improving them. They now get darker and light and transition quicker. Kind of a novelty though since you can typically get a second pair of Rx sunglasses for less.

bobwysiwyg

My comment was more to the fact that they can get far darker than sunglasses under some conditions. Coupled with the time to clear and the fact that they don't function while driving the car, I just don't see the added cost vs their benefit. One of those personal preference things I guess.

bobwysiwyg

Vintage Schwinn

I have been wearing Transition lenses since early 1992.
The latest version on Transitions are so much improved over anything from just a decade ago.
Transitions were better than photo-grey in 1992. I switched to Transitions in 1992 because my Optometrist said the benefit of having PLASTIC versus glass lenses, is less weight thus more comfortable and the most important benefit is the chance of accident breaking the glass lens while wearing them, thus likely serious eye injury.
Having said that, I have no experience with photo-grey lenses since before early 1992.

All my glasses since 1992 have been Transitions.
Transition lenses are not expensive. No kidding, your local Wal-Mart in-store Optical Center can install them in whatever frames that you bring them, and I think you will find that Wal-Mart instore is the lowest cost of any Walk-In Local Optical Centers for the Transitions lenses.
I had the local Wal-Mart Optical center install TRANSITIONS lenses into a vintage wire gold frame aviator frame that I got probably in 1970 or 1971. They even told me that I could re-new the Temple ends on those ancient frames. Since my hair color is gray now versus the beautiful shade of brown that it was fifty years ago, I asked them to install clear Temple ends on the frames. Wal-Mart Optical was out of the clear temple ends, but the Licensed Optician there told me that there are China based EBAY sellers that have them in clear and all colors of black and various shades of brown, red, gray, etc for about $0.99 to $1.75 shipped free in applications to fit almost all frames. I asked them, well what the heck do I search for, uh, what is the actual term that these things are called.................JUST search all categories for: temple ends.
So yeah if you're Old like I am and you still possibly have frames so ancient sitting in a drawer somewhere....so old that they are now somewhat in-style and cool again.
My vision isn't bad, so I just have a regular Rx, no progressive or bi-focals.
I also have a pair of the smallest RAYBAN gold aviator sunglass frames, THAT I HAD THEM REMOVE THE ORIGINAL GLASS GREEN SUN LENSES AND INSTALL TRANSITIONS Rx LENSES into the RAYBAN aviator frames.
Heck, I don't remember from where I bought the RAY-BAN sunglasses but they were easily twice the cost of the Transition lenses.
Note to all of you that might be looking for frames and such: REMEMBER THAT ALL THE OPTICAL BOX STORES AND LOCAL OPTICIANS only carry largely what the Italian giant is currently pumping out as far as frames at best, and at worst, you've got the same boring rectangular "birth-control" glasses that everybody carries because the stylish folks don't wear glasses as they opt for contacts.
The LENSCRAFTERS and main OPTICAL SUPER-STORES will tell you that they cannot--OR--at least discourage you from trying to have NEW LENSES installed into OLD FRAMES. They want the revenue, and the $3 frame that they sell you for $115 is just more for them, so they will not be helpful in resurrecting old vintage frames that you might own. For this, you'll have to visit some independent Optomertrist that has a small practice like the old days or perhaps maybe find some place like a Wal-Mart that has Opticians that are willing to restore the old frames with new temple ends, nose pads, screws if necessary.
My local Wal-Mart Optical did not charge me to install the clear temple ends that were sourced from China. As part of the new lenses, they replaced the nose pads on the almost fifty year old frames for about $7 or so. They did all of the adjustments and fitting, and did the sharpie marker, ruler thing to center the eye before having the new lenses ground. It was just like a new pair. The licensed optician working there also said that they do get a large number of women that routinely bring in vintage frames for new lenses. They said if you know what your "measurements" are for frame width and temple length, etc in mm measurement, you can source vintage and vintage designer frames off the bay and other places. They said that they have some female clients that have between ten to twelve different frames that they wear with their current Rx. Maybe not like the number of handbags, dresses, or shoes but you get a picture of how that could be.
Go ask your Wal-Mart OPTICAL CENTER what they charge for Transition lenses to be installed into your frame.......it will be the same to install it in one of theirs assuming you'd want to buy one of their frames. The Wal-Mart OPTICAL CENTER is never really busy. In SC, you have Doctors of Optometry practicing at Walmart locations, thus Independently Operating and just leasing the Sq footage store space, doing business there, and in GA you have corporate Wal-Mart Optical Stores with corporate employed Wal-Mart Opticians that are salaried employees of Wal-Mart, and you have an Independent Dr. of Optometry that rotates visiting a few stores in the area one day each week to provide comprehensive eye exams and Rx. I don't know how the Wal-mart optical model functions in other states. It is just one possible option for perhaps the best pricing on Transitions lenses, because you likely already have a valid Rx from your recent eye exam.
It doesn't matter where you choose to get lenses.

Transitions lenses today are almost the quality of Rx sunglasses. That was not the case about a decade ago.
They are excellent. They are definitely worth it. The cost isn't much.
If you're somebody that is okay with the bargain $35 rectangle, yoo-ah-glee, frames that look worse than uncle sam's official military issue frames, well yeah it might be a little expensive for eye-wear budget, but remember there are some people that can wear anything and look great, and there are some folks that otherwise look nice without glasses but with the wrong frames for their features...and, lets just say it is like adding a trailer hitch and curbfeelers to a Ferrari.

CliffordK

Never again to WalMart for glasses. When it is time for new glasses I'll shop around a bit, but every year or two I wear out the temples.

So, when I went back to Walmart to get a broken temple replaced, they said refused service. They didn't even look at the glasses they had sold me a year before.

Of course, with some experimenting, I've managed to get a pair good enough glasses frames from E-Bay that I could get temples off of, and discovered those long "snap-off" screws are much easier to deal with when using the springy temples.