Acuvue Oasys with Transitions
Rating: 3.5/5
A couple of things to get out of the way; I work in the optical industry, but not for Johnson & Johnson, and I’m not a fan of photochromic lenses in general.
I first heard about these lenses almost a year ago and have been patiently waiting for them to come out since. While I’m not a fan of photochromic lenses in eyeglasses, I am a huge fan of wearing sunglasses when I’m outside. I’m also a fan of convenience, and I don’t usually wear eyeglasses, contact lenses are my primary form of vision correction. So the ability to not have to grab my glasses while going for a walk in the neighborhood is not only appealing but something that I’ve wanted for a long time.
Putting the lenses in are no different than any other contact, in fact nothing about these lenses are different from your normal contacts. I’ve been wearing them for 4 days now and the comfort is the same as any other 2-week lens so far.
I recorded a quick video of how the lenses reacted when I first put them on and stepped outside, check it out here. One of the cool things to notice in this video is the speed of the very first transition from clear to dark. With a normal photochromic lens it takes a while for the transition to become fully activated (I’ve dispensed thousands of pairs, I know how they usually work). The contacts however turned almost immediately upon being in the sunlight for the first time. Maybe they are activated before being packaged? I don’t know. But I do appreciate the fact that I got to experience the speed the very first time.
Now, to the good stuff; wearing the lenses while out and about over the weekend.
Like a traditional photochromic lens, the wearer really doesn’t notice the change from light to dark until they step into a darker environment. The first couple of places I went while wearing the contacts were within a few blocks of my apartment, so I didn’t need to drive. Each time I thought to grab my sunglasses but left them on the table and headed out. By the time I made it to the sidewalk from my front door, about 40 feet, the lenses had changed to their darkened state. I could barely tell they had darkened, I had to check and see in a mirror. I was totally comfortable wearing them in the bright sun, unless I looked at a reflective surface and had to deal with glare. Which should be expected, the lenses aren’t polarized.
Driving was another test, most photochromic lenses don’t react inside of a car because they’re activated by ultraviolet light and car windshields block most of that light. These contacts are no different, once I was in the car and driving down the road the sunglasses came out and stayed on. Since the lenses don’t really darken, wearing sunglasses over them didn’t have any effect.
I did like being able to take my sunglasses off as soon as I got out of the car. I was hoping to walk into a few places with darkened lenses to see if I got any weird looks. Sadly, the lenses go back to a clear state pretty quick. No funny looks.
Even walking down the street the looks I got were minimal. I think maybe 2 people gave me a second glance, but it seemed that to the average person I just had dark colored eyes.
Overall, the lenses are as comfortable as can be expected for a 2 week lens, which is a good thing. The speed at which they darken is fast and the intensity of the tint is comfortable and not at all distracting or a hindrance. You’ll still need sunglasses when you’re driving or doing anything where a polarized lens is called for. You probably won’t get any extra attention wearing the contact, but you’ll appreciate the ability to step outside without needing to grab your shades if you’re going to work in the backyard to walk around town.