Photochromatic sunglasses

[Ralph Werner]

Any of you had experience with photochromatic sunglasses. I have seen comments on other forums that said they won't work behind a plastic face shield or auto windshield. Others say that they will work under those conditions. The theory is that the lenses are UV activated and the plastic or glass blocks UV.

[callison]

Any of you had experience with photochromatic sunglasses. I have seen comments on other forums that said they won't work behind a plastic face shield or auto windshield. Others say that they will work under those conditions. The theory is that the lenses are UV activated and the plastic or glass blocks UV.

 

I would be interested in just knowing what sunglasses won't make the LCD display on my Norge impossible to read.

[gh67]

I've had about 3 different pairs of Panoptx photochromatic glasses over the years, and loved them all. They fit like goggles with a foam backing that prevents any air leaks on my open face helmet (no windshield at 100mph...no problems)....yet they aren't much bigger than normal sunglasses. Have also used them with full-face helmet & clear shield and they still darken normally.....I don't use them in the car (you would a look pretty silly) so can't speak to that.

 

I've always used their dawn/dusk lens....it gets light enough for city night driving. I tried the day/night lens a few years ago but found that it let too much light through (too bright for my sensitive eyes) in some situations. That being said they may have updated them since I last tried them.

Only complaint is they do not have a glass lens so you have to watch out not to scratch them.

 

http://www.panoptx.com/html/va_motor.htm

 

Callison - you are probably wearing polarized sunglass which do not work well with most LCD readouts. I had the same probably in airplanes and had to switch to non-polarized.

[Mr. Bean]

I have found that I can't use any polarized sunglasses while riding. Blacks out the screen on any LCD display and causes weird shading and coloration when looking through my clear Arai visor. My photocromatic lenses seem to work ok..they darken and lighten almost as much as when they are in the open. They are Ray-Bans...same ones I use for flying.

 

Randy

[Richard Z]

I would be interested in just knowing what sunglasses won't make the LCD display on my Norge impossible to read.

 

Try Bi Focals... They work for me.... LOL

 

Richard Z.

[Lamedog]

My prescription Photosun (and yes, bifocal) darken nicely with standard full face Shoei lens down. I haven't seen this a significant problem. I do switch to standard sunglass when its very bright.

[dlaing]

I had a pair of transitions.

They darkened much more in direct sunlight.

They darken much more in cold weather.

When skiing they get extremely dark.

In the shade of a car with UV blocking glass they don't work very well.

With motorcycle helmets they work a little better. Some face shields block more UV than others.

Keep in mind that if they are not darkening they may actually be protecting your eyes better because your pupil will contract.

I'd like to know more about that as I usually ride with plain lenses that offer some UV protection, but wonder if transitions protect better.

And if anyone knows a good solutution for floaters, let me know.

[Skeeve]

I have found that I can't use any polarized sunglasses while riding. Blacks out the screen on any LCD display and causes weird shading and coloration when looking through my clear Arai visor.

 

Yep, polarized glasses do all of that, altho' you can often times get the LCDs to give you some info if you turn your head right or left about 45degrees.

 

I actually like the odd-ball shading I get with the polarized glasses and my face-shield: it seems the face-shield does some circular polarization, so that the oil slicks on the road [which would normally be completely hidden by the vertical polarizer in the glasses] show up as strangely luminescent patches on the pavement. Good information, & meanwhile, it still cuts down significantly on the glare from car windshields, etc.

 

The sun-sensor lenses *do* require UV to function, so if you've got a coated faceshield that blocks UV, then they won't work. Most clear faceshields pass almost 100% of the available UV, so you get a nice sunburn when riding with them and the photochromatic lenses function just peachy... [i hate getting sunburned while riding; I never remember to 'goop up' before taking off...

[mike wilson]

Last time I tried photochromics, they took eons to change. Very dangerous when, for an extreme example, entering an unlit tunnel. Have they improved?

[Skeeve]

Last time I tried photochromics, they took eons to change. Very dangerous when, for an extreme example, entering an unlit tunnel. Have they improved?

 

Oh, they've improved a great deal, but none of them are suited to popping in&out of tunnels; of course, how is this worse than wearing regular dark glasses that don't change at all? At least if you're wearing photochromics, there's some hope of your eyes' natural abilities/range of adjustment to be able to take up the slack with the glasses' help...