cellio | dear LJ brain trust (glasses)

I'm looking for an eyeglasses solution for bright sunny days. Currently I use clip-on sunglasses when driving and squint the rest of the time, but there's got to be a better way. Here are some parameters:

I don't carry a purse, briefcase, backpack, etc with me all the time, so carrying around an extra pair of glasses is challenging. That said, I'm willing to accept breakage in cheap plastic sunglasses stuffed into a back pocket (or on a belt, or something like that) as a recurring cost. (But not for prescription glasses; that's way too expensive.)

Clip-ons are kind of uncomfortable for routine use.

I'm interested in knowing about tint/polarization/??? options for a sole pair of glasses, if there are any that also work well indoors and at night. 20 or 30 years ago there was a fad called, I think, "photo-gray" -- lenses that automatically darkened or lightened based on light levels. Whatever happened to that approach? (My ideal, I-think-ficticious, pair of glasses involves a little knob for that. :-) )

What other options are there?

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My wife uses the type that automatically darken. She's been happy with them. I'll see if I can get her to respond to you.

Daniel

I also use the darkening kind, and they now work on plastic lenses, a HUGE advantage. I've also been known to buy and use the kind that make me look like GORT, the ones that fit over the whole other pair, and like them a lot.

A case that clips to your belt is great.

That's what came to my mind, too. I don't have auto-darken glasses, but I do have a special coating that helps with glare at night, and I can recommend that stuff, too. :)

I 've had three optometrists/opthamologists/opticians STRONGLY recommend against them because my lenses are too thick (severe nearsightedness). Even if they use the minimum amount of darkening, the collective darkening would be too dark.

I can only suspect that yours would be worse.

S

I've been wearing "Transitions" (brand) lenses that polarize in the light for about 8 years now and I love them. Once they are broken in (once the polarizing molecules have done their thing a few dozen times and are lined up right) they transition quickly from light to dark and back. It's no trouble driving from bright light into a tunnel then out again at speed. They transition automatically and in proportion to the light.

Yes, what he said.

love my "transitions" so much I dont wear my contacts and sunglasses.
High marks.

I had the transition lenses as a kid (circa 1979/80), but I think (especially from what others have said here) the technology has improved tremendously since then. Back then, they never got completely clear, always stayed a bit gray, so that's why I stopped getting them. But the current ad campaign looks like they've taken care of that problem. If I were you, I'd look into the new Transition lenses.

"I'm willing to accept breakage in cheap plastic sunglasses stuffed into a back pocket"

Get a good *hard* eyeglass case. They're not expensive and practically bulletproof. I've slipped and landed on a case in my back pocket without breaking them.
-- Dagonell

As noted above, there are lenses that automatically polarize, and there are lenses that automatically darken (still available), but so far as I know there are no lenses that automatically polarize and darken. (If that was what you were looking for.

For years I used the cheap plastic clip-ons because I wanted "dark" and "polarized," and this was the only way to do it. I ran into the problem I think you're having: that bulky clip/hinge mechanism at the front isn't comfortable, it's hard to keep the shades aligned, and frequently it drags the glasses down my nose.

Then, last November when I got a new pair of glasses, I got these. They clip on easily, and come off easily. They attach using small clips that hook to the outside of the lens frame.

There are more styles available on this page.

BTW, I found that by Googling "Shade Control" (in quotes, it's the brand name) and the word "sunglasses," this came up at top of the list. A little poking around might get better prices, and probably come up with some different brand names as well.

Good luck!

I've been wearing them for years. I think they're great: I've never had any problems with them.

My vision insurance even covers them.

There's a wonderful optometrist on Murray Ave. in Squirrel Hill, a Dr. Fred Smith. I highly recommend him. For years, he gave me photograys, which I loved.

(I think "gray" is the American color and "grey the one used for parrot -- I hate that!)

The problem with photograys is they don't darken in cars. You could keep clip-ons in the car. I went with two pair of glasses, one kept in the car. When I walk or run, I either take the car or walk by the car, so it works for me.

Dr. Smith is a trip and a half, and I've never met the Doc he's working with, but if Dr. Smith is willing to work with him, he must be good. Dr. Smith will talk a lot, but he's something between a magician and profiler -- the patter is to distract you and let him see your real reactions to the things he does. He will also design your glasses for specific needs of your lifestyle.

I was forced to go to a "glasses in about an hour" type of place when a pair of glasses broke. I didn't have backups. Biggest mistake I ever made. Dr. Smith does it right.

No, I don't get kickbacks.

I *think* Smith is fully retired now, but I've transferred over to his partner, Dr. Ross. I do like him a lot, and he seems quite competent.

I actually use a set of clip-overs. They clip onto the sides of the glasses (and can be put on and removed with one hand). I've used them now for years. Juliana, on the other hand, never quite got the hang of putting them on -- even with two hands. They cost less than $15.

S

It's been 5-10 years since I last had photo-gray glasses, but mine had two problems:

1) They wouldn't get darker if the sunlight was coming through a window. (Wild guess: they were triggered by UV light that was filtered by the window)

2) They would get darker if it was very cold, whether it was light or not. This could be a problem if I was walking at night in the winter (and remember that "at night" could mean "after 4pm" in December).

I have the same problem, being both light-eyed and nearsighted/astigmatic and only owning plain ol' prescription glasses (contacts make my eyes hurt, and LASIK is at best under consideration; I take a dim view [no pun intended] of any procedure that involves taking a knife to the corneas of the only pair of eyes I own). I've been using Solar Shield(R) sunglasses for awhile now. They're slightly-larger-than-normal sunglasses designed to fit over regular eyewear, and they're the cheapest, least-dorky-looking solution I've found. Around $13 (less at Wal-Mart) at most drug stores. As long as your scrip glasses aren't hugmongous-lensed Swifty Lazar Specials, these might work.

dear LJ brain trust (glasses)

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Photochromic Lenses Rule

Photogray

Re: Photogray

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Two words: Solar Shield(R)