Photochromic glasses help people with visual impairments, protect against ultraviolet radiation and have many advantages over others optical instruments. How do they work and are there any disadvantages to using them? Let's figure it out.

Photochromic glasses change color as the light changes.

How do photochromic glasses work?

What are photochromic glasses and what are they for? This is a device in which the lenses simultaneously correct visual acuity and are able to regulate the level of darkness. The impetus for action is the degree of illumination and the angle of sunlight hitting their surface. Chameleons are the second name for such glasses.

If a person is indoors, chameleons appearance They don’t give themselves away in any way. Transformations occur when going outside, when the glass begins to quickly darken and protects from the sun no worse than special solar glasses.

When entering a room, the lenses adapt to moderate lighting in a matter of seconds and become brighter

Such glasses are designed for the convenience of people with poor eyesight. This is especially true in the summer, when the eyes even healthy person They lose visual acuity in bright sunshine and get tired quickly.

Lenses for chameleons contain pigment molecules of a sensitive substance that actively react to ultraviolet radiation. They are activated when it appears and return to their initial position in its absence.

The intensity of glass tinting is higher, the brighter it is outside and the more aggressive the solar radiation.

In other words, glasses with photochromic lenses protect your eyes on a clear day by transmitting much less visible light rays. The color of such lenses can be brown or gray.

Photochromic glasses: pros and cons

Glasses with photochromic lenses cannot provide 100% protection from sunlight for a long time. This is the task of special sun protection models. Therefore, when going on vacation, it is safer to take both pairs with you.

It happens that in an office environment and when working at a computer, the glass often changes color, and this provokes rapid blinking when the lighting changes, the eyes quickly get tired, redness and headaches are observed.

Glasses with photochromic lenses have another name - chameleons, since they can change their color directly depending on the lighting. IN dark time days or indoors, they have practically no differences from ordinary colorless lenses or may have an unexpressed initial tint.

On the street, such glasses darken on their own, and in sunlight they practically turn into sunglasses. If you go into any room, the photochromic glasses will again become transparent.

Principle of operation

Such properties of chameleon glasses can be explained by the presence of special substances with a photochromic structure in the lenses. Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, their spatial structure changes, they cease to transmit light, as a result, the lenses darken.

In the absence of ultraviolet light, the opposite changes occur, and such a lens becomes transparent again.

Until recently, the darkening speed of such glasses depended not only on the degree of illumination, but also on temperature environment. Darkening occurred more quickly in the cold than at high temperatures, and in very hot summer days The lenses may not have reached their maximum darkness.

Photochromic lenses, which are produced using modern innovative technologies, the speed of the processes of clearing and reverse darkening, as well as the degree of darkening, are practically independent of temperature external environment.

Manufacturing technologies for photochromic glasses

In most cases, photochromic lenses in a darkened state come in two shades - brown and gray, and the maximum darkening indicator can vary: from weak (10-15%) to strong (80-85%).

Photochromic lenses can be produced according to various technologies. For example, according to Technology Transitions, photochromic substances are evenly distributed over the surface of the lens to a certain depth. Most well-known manufacturers, such as Sola, Zeiss, Seiko, Essilor, Hoya, produce photochromic lenses using this technology.

At the core SunSensors technologies, the distribution of photochromic substances is carried out throughout the entire mass of materials from which the lens is directly produced. Such products are called volume-colored. Whole line companies also use a similar method to create their photochromic lenses.

Hoya, Kodak and Rodenstock produce eyeglass lenses from their own polymer materials with photochromic agents distributed throughout the mass.

Benefits of photochromic glasses

Photochromic glasses are ideal for people with poor vision. Such people either buy prescription sunglasses and, when going out into bright sunlight, are forced to change them, or wear tinted glasses. Chameleons can replace several pairs of glasses.

In a glassed room, photochromic lenses do not darken, since the glass is not capable of transmitting ultraviolet radiation, so such glasses also “do not work” in a car.

Therefore, drivers wearing glasses for vision correction and in sunny weather need to use sunglasses with diopters, or use special clip-on attachments for glasses.

But recently, many well-known companies have begun to produce photochromic lenses that can darken not only under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, but also under the action of short-wave blue rays of the solar spectrum, penetrating directly into the interior of the car.

In addition to the fact that fluorochromes provide one hundred percent protection from dangerous ultraviolet radiation, they provide the light transmission necessary for the eyes, reacting to the slightest changes in lighting on the street, while eye strain and visual fatigue are reduced, and the contrast of vision increases. This is extremely important for those who have increased tear production or have.

In addition to visual convenience and comfort, photochromic glasses also have certain medical indications:

• as an alternative sunglasses
• they are recommended to patients suffering dystrophic diseases retina
• reduce the likelihood of developing cataracts

Photochromic lenses can be either polymer or mineral, including polycarbonate. The buyer has the opportunity to choose any refractive index for his photochromic glasses; if necessary, they can be made more sophisticated.

Photochromic lenses are sometimes coated with a special multifunctional coating, giving the glasses the necessary beneficial features. Modern glasses are available in absolutely any design: aspherical, traditional monofocal, progressive.

Photochromic lenses are extremely popular among consumers who want glasses that not only provide high performance vision, but also reliable protection from solar radiation.

IN Lately You can often hear the term “photochromic glasses.” Relatively improved photochromic lenses appeared on the optical market not so long ago - in the 90s, initially, along with their advantages, they also had many disadvantages. Today, the technology of photochromic glasses has been almost perfected, and you can enjoy not only a fashionable, but also a very useful accessory.

What does photochromic glasses mean?

The main properties of photochromic lenses for glasses are that they can improve vision to its maximum sharpness. In addition, they change their darkening depending on the intensity of artificial or natural light. For this last property, glasses with photochromic lenses are also called glasses - “chameleons”. They are really hypersensitive to light - indoors they can be completely colorless, as if regular glasses to correct vision, and quickly darken in the sun. Smart glasses owe their fast response to the molecules of photochromic substances that are found in the material. They react to bright sunlight by darkening and return to their original resting state in normal light.

The main advantage of photochromic sunglasses is that they replace sunglasses with diopters - one pair of glasses is comfortable both indoors and outdoors.

Types of photochromic glasses for glasses

The most famous technologies in the production of photochromic lenses are Transitions and SunSensors technology. Both of them are very popular, although in Russia the second option has taken root more.

Transitions supplies their clear lenses to brands such as Essilor, Hoya, Sola, Zeiss, Seiko, where they are further infused with photochromic substance molecules. The company's specialists are constantly improving their technologies; one of the latest developments is lenses that darken even faster outdoors and are less dependent on the ambient temperature.

The essence of SunSensors technology is slightly different - the photochromic element is located not only in top layer, it is distributed throughout the entire mass of the lens. In fact, both systems work great and cope with their tasks.

Who needs photochromic polarized glasses?

In general, it is clear that photochromic glasses are a modern blessing, an accessory that will be useful and enjoyable for many women. Among them, primarily those who use glasses both indoors and outdoors. " " replace two pairs of glasses if you often alternate different types lighting.

Photochromic glasses are indispensable for drivers - they do not darken when the lady gets into the car, but they perfectly protect against ultraviolet rays and glare that is dangerous on the road.

There are also photochromic necessary for women who prefer active sports, they are especially in demand among cyclists and snowboarders.

Photochromic glasses are chosen by those people who are sensitive to sudden changes in brightness, causing redness eye, headache who have vision problems and do not want to let it worsen.

Users appreciate them because photochromic glasses are great for Everyday life that they perfectly protect against bright ultraviolet rays, save the retina when lighting changes, because they give clarity to the surrounding picture.

Most people have difficulty seeing, and some experience discomfort in bright and sunny weather. In such a situation, to protect the eyes, they need lenses or glasses.

One of the modern devices can be called chameleon glasses. They are worn in any light, put on outside and not taken off indoors.

Chameleon glasses have photochromic lenses, which are lenses that can change the tone and degree of darkness depending on the amount of sunlight they receive. The lenses are brightened the moment a person is in the building, since the amount of ultraviolet rays received is minimized. When going outside, the glass darkens, trying to protect the visual organ from exposure to large amounts of light.

Chameleon glasses have main feature, which consists in the presence and absence of diopters. That is, they can also be worn by people with poor eyesight.

The degree of darkness of chameleon glasses

The frame of the accessories can be made of any material: plastic or metal. It is believed that metal products are much lighter and more convenient to use. But the lenses themselves should be made of glass, since this is the material that helps create a real photochromic plane.

The glasses are divided according to the degree of darkness.

1. For weak form. Absorb up to fifty percent of light. Have lenses Brown. Often these models are worn by the female half of the population.
2. On average shape. They absorb light from fifteen to sixty percent of light. Such models are perfect for walking on the street and for those people who drive a car. They have gray glass.
3. For enhanced form. Absorb up to eighty percent of light rays. Lenses have green. These models are mainly used by patients suffering from conjunctivitis, increased sensitivity to light, pain and dryness.

Experts say that it is better to choose chameleon glasses with average degree darkness. After all, they do an excellent job of correcting vision and protecting it, while the products have a long service life and are quite durable.

Chameleon glasses for drivers

Chameleon glasses can also be used by drivers who are constantly behind the wheel. For their manufacture, photochromic lenses are used, which have the property of changing color depending on the light level. For drivers, this accessory will be a godsend, because the visual organ will always be protected without any damage.

Modern glasses can protect your eyes as much as possible inside the car. Glass contains substances that regulate not only ultraviolet radiation, but also absorb the blue light spectrum, which is contained in sun rays. The lenses can darken up to eighty percent, which will allow you to control the situation on the road section even in bright, blinding light.

Such lenses are a great find for drivers who have problems with visual acuity. After all, simple products with diopters do not protect against glare and bright sun. Chameleon glasses are a replacement for several accessories at once.

Just a few years ago, glasses were not in such demand among people because the quality of the lenses was poor. But more recently, lenses made of high-quality material with diopters began to arrive in stores.

Popular chameleon glasses models for men and women

Chameleon sunglasses can be divided into two types: men's and women's. Products for the female half of the population have a more elegant appearance, while being small in size, with thinner arms and frames with different decorative elements. Men's glasses They don't have many varieties. They differ only in their massiveness and variety of frame shapes.

Instructions for choosing the right chameleon glasses

To buy glasses, you need to be able to distinguish between quality work and inexpensive analogues. To do this, you should follow several recommendations.

1. This lens has a dark colored edge. If it is light, it means that the glasses are just coated and they are not photochromic.
2. If you look through high-quality glass, they will not distort color perception. If you have a fake in front of you, the naturalness of the colors will be disrupted.
3. Sputtering good quality will lie perfectly flat. If it is poorly applied, then such glasses are fake.
4. If the buyer has vision problems, then glasses must be purchased with diopters. To do this, you should contact an ophthalmologist for a vision test. The doctor will write out a prescription, according to which the optician will make custom-made glasses.
5. Every two years, lenses must be replaced, as the coating loses its function and gradually wears off.
6. You need to care for them in the same way as regular accessories. Wipe daily with a special cloth, store in a case and place on the surface with the lenses facing up.

Price for chameleon glasses in stores

Cost of sun protection accessories.
The price of chameleon glasses depends on several parameters.

• What material are the lenses and frames made of?
• Availability of decor.
• Availability of diopters.
• Manufacturer's fame.
• Store markups.

On average, the price for high-quality models ranges from one to two thousand rubles. If we talk about accessories from well-known companies, their prices range from two to five thousand rubles. But there are also fakes on sale that cost much less. Nice glasses are absolutely safe for the health of the buyer’s eyes. But the fake not only does not affect the image quality, but also harms the eyes, not retaining ultraviolet and anti-glare rays.

Notes on choosing glasses

It is worth noting the fact that modern models can be selected to suit any clothing style and image. Naturally, chameleon glasses should be selected taking into account several circumstances - the season, face shape and type of clothing. For example, for people with round and high cheekbones, models in the shape of cat eye and foxes with glasses, narrowed at the top. Narrow-faced people need to visually expand their face, so they should choose glasses with square shape small sizes. In addition to all this, the frames of men's accessories should be much more massive than those of the women's half.

Elegant glasses will go well with evening wear, especially with classic clothes. In the summer, you should pay attention to lightweight glasses that have frames light color. If the buyer prefers active winter recreation, then you need to select products with a large view and anti-reflective coating.

You can also match glasses to the color of accessories or clothing, or the shade of your eyes or hair. Today, glasses are not just a method of vision correction, but also a stylish element in the image.

Photochromic lenses- These are lenses that change their darkening depending on the light level. These lenses are designed not only to correct vision and make your stay in the bright sun comfortable, but also to reliably protect your eyes from ultraviolet radiation. These glasses are recommended as an alternative to sunglasses in cases of “photophobia” and the likelihood of retinal diseases. When wearing such glasses, the strain on the eyes is reduced, and the clarity of vision increases when wearing the same diopters.

Chameleon glasses

« Chameleon glasses“When indoors, they will be completely transparent or with a slight darkening. If a person goes outside, the lenses will take on a color, the degree of maximum darkening of which varies from 60 to 75% depending on the light level. The classic colors of the darkened lens are gray and brown.

The change in darkening in photochromic lenses occurs due to special reagents that react to ultraviolet radiation. Thus, most photochromic glasses will not work behind a storefront glass, double glazed window, or car windshield.

Manufacturers spectacle lenses for a long time could not cope with this task. As a result of long research and laboratory research Nevertheless, a breakthrough was made in this area, and now the range of some companies includes lenses that react to a certain spectrum of light. You can read about such lenses in our article “driving glasses”

The speed of darkening and its response to ambient temperature depends on the quality of the chemical reagents used by one or another lens manufacturer.

For example, inexpensive Korean-made lenses can work (darken and brighten) several times longer than similar lenses made in Germany and Japan.

Modern technologies do not stand still, and with their growth, many manufacturers of photochromic lenses appear.

In this article we want to understand the fundamental differences between the offers and compare their pricing policies.

Let's start from simple to complex according to the principle of increasing prices:

1. Glass photochromic lenses

– Photochromic glass lenses made in Korea– 2025-2900 rub. a pair of lenses (depending on the presence or absence of anti-reflective coating and astigmatism). The optical properties of these lenses are not significantly inferior to branded ones. If we consider these lenses with anti-reflective coating, then it certainly will not be perfect in terms of scratch resistance. Their main disadvantage is the slower clearing indoors after the sun; the time for complete clearing can take up to 4 minutes, and this of course creates discomfort

– Vintage photochromic glass lenses Umbramatic Brown Gold ET Carl Zeiss company – 5250 rub. for a pair of lenses. The specificity of these lenses is that they only have a brown tint color with a pre-darkening of 15% (the lens indoors will have an almost unnoticeable slightly brown tint). These lenses have been tested by time and users, and have proven themselves very well. Clearance time is approximately 2 minutes, which meets modern requirements

2. Polymer photochromic lenses (plastic)

– Photochromic polymer lenses made in Korea– 3750 rub. for a pair of lenses (with anti-reflective coating), 3750-6750 rubles. (with astigmatism). Korean manufacturers will not have high scratch resistance of lenses. Their main disadvantage is the slower clearing indoors after the sun; the time for complete clearing can take up to 5 minutes, and this of course creates discomfort.

Similar to the previous position Korean made lenses with refractive index 1.6 ( thin lenses with aspherical design) – 5100 rub. for a pair of lenses.

– Photochromic polymer lenses Sunsensors from Corning– 4800 rub. for a pair of lenses without astigmatism (check prices with astigmatism with consultants) they are more scratch resistant and have a clearing time of about 3 minutes.
– Vintage photochromic polymer lenses Clarlet Transitions VI LotuTec Carl Ceiss company 8025 rub. for a pair of lenses. These lenses are highly resistant to mechanical influences, because the lenses are coated with a “top” Carl Ceiss coating, which ensures the durability of the reagents used in the lens. It will also be notable for the fact that, unusually in our time, the manufacturer clearly guarantees the production of its branded lenses only in Germany. The clearing time is around 1.5-2 minutes.

– If you are a car driver, and your task is to drive at night and during the day wearing the same glasses, then polymer ones stand out here. Altolite Transitions VII XTRActive lenses Israeli company Shamir, the cost for a pair of lenses is 8850 rubles, they will be noteworthy in that, unlike other photochromic lenses, they will darken 60% under the windshield of a car (up to 85% on the street), because their operating principle depends not on the intensity of absorbed ultraviolet radiation, but on the degree of illumination. These lenses are specially designed for drivers, equipped with 8% pre-tinting and high-quality multi-layer coating, which make night driving the most comfortable. If you are interested in this position, read more about what real