Transition Lenses
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,272
Likes: 20
From: Shamokin, PA
Transition Lenses
Let's talk transition lenses.
I currently have a pair of Harley sunglasses HDSZ-901's that my wife bought me last year. I generally love them but there's one glaring problem. Late afternoon when the sun is going down the lenses transition to clear and the sun burns into my retina's to the point where I either need different glasses or need to stop riding for awhile.
Do they all have this problem? If not what are you using?
I currently have a pair of Harley sunglasses HDSZ-901's that my wife bought me last year. I generally love them but there's one glaring problem. Late afternoon when the sun is going down the lenses transition to clear and the sun burns into my retina's to the point where I either need different glasses or need to stop riding for awhile.
Do they all have this problem? If not what are you using?
Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,861
Likes: 17,917
From: Lafayette, Louisiana
Some transition lenses are more reactive than others. I forgot The terminology but it costs more to get the newer more reactive type. The older/ cheaper type won't hardly change when seated inside a car for example. The newer type will.
As you might imagine, my eyes are sensitive to bright light, both in the day time and headlights at night.
My vision went to crap when I got pancreatitis a little over a year ago to where I couldn't read anything. After I got the pancreas under control, my vision improved and after it stabilized I got fitted for bifocals.
For my riding glasses I just went with single vision. I went to Lens Crafters and got OAKLEY high speed impact resistant glasses with numerous coatings and the newer transition lens technology. Eye Med insurance covered most of it. Before the insurance paid their portion they were $690. They are perfect. I wear a half helmet and despite my light sensitivity they work great and I see fine on dark roads as well.
As you might imagine, my eyes are sensitive to bright light, both in the day time and headlights at night.
My vision went to crap when I got pancreatitis a little over a year ago to where I couldn't read anything. After I got the pancreas under control, my vision improved and after it stabilized I got fitted for bifocals.
For my riding glasses I just went with single vision. I went to Lens Crafters and got OAKLEY high speed impact resistant glasses with numerous coatings and the newer transition lens technology. Eye Med insurance covered most of it. Before the insurance paid their portion they were $690. They are perfect. I wear a half helmet and despite my light sensitivity they work great and I see fine on dark roads as well.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,395
Likes: 266
From: Southern California
I bought a pair of Wiley-X Transition Sun Glasses (not prescription) a few (3 or 4) years ago. My normal Sun Glasses are RayBan Predator II's. I had two problems with the Wiley-X Transition Sun Glasses. First, when in normal sunlight they were not dark enough. Second, when going through a long underpass (under a local Airport Runway) they wouldn't lighten fast enough. Kind of a paradoxical problem. I called the manufacturer and they suggested placing them in my household Freezer over night. Which I did. This slightly improved the not being dark enough issue, but still not enough really, but it did nothing for the reaction time. Wiley was pleasant about the whole thing and they exchanged them (including refunding me the price differential) for their regular Wiley-X Sun Glasses; which are very nice Sun Glasses in their own right. I do wish I could find a functional pair of Transition Sun Glasses that fit me and work well.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,175
Likes: 1,966
From: Great State of Canada
I wear SPY Touring glasses. They are BIG, give great wind protection and the lenses are high quality. Those with smaller heads/faces may not like these but with a big pumpkin and an open faced helmet they're the cats ***.
Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,861
Likes: 17,917
From: Lafayette, Louisiana
Transitions Vantage is what they call the improved version. From the website:
Activated by the sun, these lenses go from virtually clear indoors to dark and polarized outdoors. The lenses also help reduce eyestrain when using a computer.
I can tell you that I have the same type of lens on my regular bifocals and they get so dark that when people see me walk into a building after being outside, 90% of the time they think I am blind.
Here is the section for the Lens Crafters site that talks about them:
https://www.lenscrafters.com/lc-us/t...ions-US-053113
Activated by the sun, these lenses go from virtually clear indoors to dark and polarized outdoors. The lenses also help reduce eyestrain when using a computer.
I can tell you that I have the same type of lens on my regular bifocals and they get so dark that when people see me walk into a building after being outside, 90% of the time they think I am blind.
Here is the section for the Lens Crafters site that talks about them:
https://www.lenscrafters.com/lc-us/t...ions-US-053113
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,973
Likes: 910
From: Omaha
I carry on the bike two pair of Liberty Sport prescription classes; one sunglass and one clear.
Problem solved.
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Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 21,760
Likes: 22,951
From: North Carolina
Same for me but I let my clear prescription safety glasses that I work in double as my night time riding glasses. Simple and easy for me.
