Aushiker

I was looking at Rudy Project lens pricing, which are AU$850/US$584. My lenses are transitional and photochromatic, pushing the price up. AU$ 850 is not much more than what I paid for the last lenses in my day-to-day glasses.

To help offset the pain, our private health insurance (a system different from the US) does offset the cost a bit. I would get a refund of ~ $AU275 to $445 (if I hold off to June).

Tourist in MSN

I can't answer the specifics in your example, but I can say that there is a huge difference in prescription lenses from one shop to another. Before I retired, I could purchase prescription safety sunglasses from a contractor through my employer's contract. (This was 14 years ago, so with inflation my numbers are no longer valid.) My employer paid $22 USD for trifocal lenses and if my recollection is correct the Transitions lenses that darkened in sunlight cost an extra $20. But I priced a pair of glasses at a local shop in a shopping mall, the trifocal lenses costs several hundred, and the Transitions added a lot more.

I also got a free pair every two years of regular safety glasses, but they could not have a tint according to employer policy (I won't get into why this policy existed, long story). So, a free pair of plain and an inexpensive pair of tinted at a great price every two years, it was a great deal. And the employer paid very little for the ones they provided.

I wish I could still buy under that contract, but can't. That safety glasses company only sells to employers under contract.

This past weekend I ordered another pair of prescription sunglasses with a tint that does not change with sunlight, single vision. If I spent $12 more, I was then eligible for a 25 percent off coupon, so I ordered a second pair with the cheapest frames and lenses that they had, and that second pair cost me less than zero after you factored in the coupon.
https://www.eyebuydirect.com

On both pair I will use the Optx stick on lenses to turn them into bifocals, I have used these stick on lenses for over a decade (initially on non-prescription sunglasses, later on prescription single vision glasses) and am happy with the performance.

I first used eyebuydirect.com a year ago, you have to be extremely careful to make sure your are getting glasses the size and shape that you want by measuring other glasses that you have to make sure that they would fit you well, but it is worth the savings.

gauvins

yes... somewhat mysterious. IIRC, the lenses manufacturing is dominated by Essilor (quasi monopoly) and the sunglasses market is also very consolidated (Luxxotica (sp?)). I've searched for quotes from many outlets and the options are almost identical everywhere, yet the process is not easy.

Anyhow -- I now hesitate between reglazed Ombraz (armless) or ROAV (folding) frames. Ombraz more likely.

If anyone is still following the thread, I have one more question. Tinted vs Transitions. Transitions lenses are more expensive but arguably worth every penny for cycling. I'll read opinions with considerable interest, as always.

robow

gauvins, did you know that Essilor now owns Luxottica right ? Now a 900 lb Gorilla. Two of the other photochromatic lens manufactures Zeiss and Hoya also produce excellent optics and product line but they have never been what you would call moderate in cost.

As to Transitions vs. a solid tint, it really is an individual thing. For myself, I only ride during sunlight hours and don't need the correction indoors so a solid polarized tint is much better for me. If you are reliant on your glasses full time, then the Transitions makes sense as long as you can deal with the slight shortcomings. That being, that they won't lighten up instantaneously when walking indoors, it takes a while and as the lenses age, they won't lighten up as much so you will have a slightly tinted lens indoors which some find really annoying. When going from cold outside to indoors they remain darker longer and in some cases the lenses outdoors will actually darken greater in cold vs hotter conditions. One last consideration is if you plan to use these eyeglasses while driving, the Transition lenses do not darken up as well for the most part while inside your vehicle, as they need UV rays from the sun in order to darken, and now all windshields and auto glass have UV filters built within (so as to reduce the damage to your dashboard and such). A simple solid tint or a gradient tint is always cheaper. If you do go with a solid tint, consider having one that adds a true polarizing filter, great for removing glare off water, snow, roads and other conditions. And now that I've probably bored you to death, I'll shut up.

Tourist in MSN

No brainer in my case, I am bicycling with non-prescription glasses. So at roughly $25 a pair, buy more pairs with different tints. I use gray in bright sun, brown in overcast, yellow in fog or rain or night.

For my non-bicycling prescription sunglasses that I bought for vehicle driving, same answer, a tinted pair and non-tinted pair. I am legal to drive without but I want both to be able to read the signs farther away.

I got the transitions when I was working, at that time I was only allowed to buy one pair every two years, and the transitions price was pretty low under the employer contract.

gauvins

...

robow Thanks for the detailed information. WRT to industry consolidation, I remember vaguely. 2017. I thought (assumed) that Brussels would have blocked the merger. Then obviously forgot about the whole thing.

Is there a meaningful difference in quality between Essilor, Zeiss, (Jena and other lesser brands)?

WRT transition... Interesting and pertinent points. Will think about it. But for my use case (just one pair, used for touring, day and night) I think transition makes sense.

Turns out to be an interesting quest

Aushiker

I agree, and as a multifocal transitions wearer, I have never experienced the transition being noticeable. It may have been in the past, but not nowadays, well, at least with my lenses. They also go completely clear at night.

The biggest hassle I have with them is being outside during the day and trying to look at something under the bonnet of the car. They tend to go dark because of the sunlight, which is not what you want when looking into a dark area.

For me, I will be getting multi-focus photochromatic wrap sunglasses for riding as I only want to take one pair when I am touring.

gauvins

I've pulled the trigger, yesterday, on a pair of Ombraz (brown polarized lenses). One thing I've learned from this review video (absolutely worth watching) is that lenses can be swapped with relative ease.

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