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Thread: Do Transitions lenses wear out?

  1. #1
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    Do Transitions lenses wear out?

    Do Transitions lenses lose their ability to turn dark, or turn less dark, as they get older? Thank you.

  2. #2
    Banned Jim Stone's Avatar
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    They should last until your next exam.

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    Thank you so much for your reply.

    Does that mean about a year--and then after a year they may start losing their ability to get as dark? And by "last", do you mean that they should stay exactly the same as they were, or is it normal/common for them to gradually lose their ability to get as dark?

    If they do not get as dark, is there anything that can be done to fix them or try to improve them short of buying new lenses?

  4. #4
    Banned Jim Stone's Avatar
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    I'd be pretty sure they'd last a couple years if you want to push your exam that much. A year easy.

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    Thank you. If they do not get as dark, is there anything that can be done to them (ever hear of something called "shocking" them?) to try and correct the problem, or do I have to buy new lenses. It has been less than a year.

  6. #6
    Banned Jim Stone's Avatar
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    They do change better in cooler weather. We've put them in the fridge for a while. This helps but I don't know how long this last. Probly until they warm back up. This time of year the labs are driven crazy by photochromic lenses not changing. I wonder how many pair have been thrown away. And when the customer gets the new pair that aint no better, they may say. Shoot. That guy was right. The new ones arnt any better. If you need good sunglasses or sunglasses for driving, get you a pair of polorized.

  7. #7
    Master OptiBoarder Cindy K's Avatar
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    Transitions lenses are heat sensitive as well as sensitive to UV . You will find that in the summer they do not darken to the same degree as they do in the winter when its cool or cold out. Chances are there is absolutely nothing wrong with your lenses; if you've had them less than a year they are most definitely not wearing out yet.

    There is no such thing as 'shocking' them. In the olden days when we used the ol' Photogrey Xtra glass extensively, and a couple of years after the original purchase the client needed one lens only replaced, we would re-chem harden the existing old lens along with the new one to 'equalize' the color difference that would be present between the old and new lens.

    When Transitions lenses do begin to wear out, you'll find that they devellop a rather yellowish tinge when they're not exposed to UV, and will not darken, even in cold temperatures, to the same density they did when they were new. I just replaced a pair of three year old transitions last year, and they were just beginning to devellop that tinge to them. I see plenty of two and three year old transitions NG product and really, there isn't an appreciable deterrioration until the lenses get to three years old.

  8. #8
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    Thank you SO MUCH for these replies. It is VERY HOT here right now, and the failure to get as dark, I think, does correlate to the time it began getting hot. So I guess we will see if they get darker again when the heat wave is over. Again, thank you for the information--it is very helpful. If anyone else wants to or can comment, please do so. Rebecca

  9. #9
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    Good Morning Everyone,
    Most of the nation has been in 90-100°F weather the last 2 months.
    These elevated temps quicken the chemical reaction that darkens the lens to an equilibrium that is not as dark as when the temps are in the 70°"s and 80° range. Do not confuse it with the lifetime performance of a photochromic lens. Get us past Labor Day and into the fall, you will then see a difference in activity.

    Transitions are made to last the lifetime of an average written and signed Rx. That is two to 3 years in most areas of the country. With normal use, Transitions have shown to last 3 to 5 years at best. After two to two and a half years, some slight color may or may not pick up. You usually have to lay the eyewear on something stark white to pick up on it. On the face, it is very hard to pick it up. The loss of activity is gradual, the patient normally picks up on the loss in the heat of summer..like we are experiencing now.

    If someone wears their Transitions 100% of the time and is involved with long periods of daily or weekly outdoor activity, the lenses will fatigue much faster. These are the patients that need a second pair of special purpose sun wear.

    Oh, and please Jim Stone...please quit passing on that urban legend of placing lenses in a fridge or freezer...all the patient will see is condensation on the lens, by the time the condensation passes the one time fix will have hit ambient temperature and lost the darkness advantage from the initial exposure while cold.:) Now I know the source where consumers on the freezer thing received their info

    Also, Please remember, Transitions Lenses are for comfort, not an all purpose sun lens. They are for normal everyday use. If you drive a lot or spend most of your leisure time outdoors, you also need a good pair of polarized sunlenses.

    Lets hope for a break in the heat this weekend...I would be happy with it cooling down to 90°!
    JIm
    Jim Schafer
    Retired From PPG Industries/
    Transitions Optical, Inc.

    When you win, say nothing. When you lose, say even less.
    Paul Brown

  10. #10
    Banned Jim Stone's Avatar
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    You know. If the things don't change for you. Take them back and insist on a full refund. They aint worth the money anyway. Get some REAL sunglasses. Polorized is the only way to go. Transitions are nothing but a gymic.

  11. #11
    Cape Codger OptiBoard Gold Supporter hcjilson's Avatar
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    I would hazard a guess......

    I would hazard a guess that Jim Stone has NEVER seen a Transitions lens that didn't change. Even the Transitions 1 changed. If it is true that his occupation is a lab man he probably has learned that even a fatigued Transition lens retains approximately 60% of its ability to darken.
    Why a lab man would make a less than intelligent comment about a product he obviously knows nothing about is beyond me.If he thinks violating posting guidelines will win him any friends on Optiboard he is sadly misinformed........................
    again.
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  12. #12
    Banned Jim Stone's Avatar
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    I some times cool them off to test if they are defective or not. I don't see any point in making over a lens that is going to be the same. (however I have seen a FEW defective transitions. (Less than a handful.)s.
    So, is Mr Schafer saying, if I get a transiton rejected for not getting dark enough, just go ahead and make it over and return the "bad" lenses to his company? Can we get any credit for processing?




    Quote Originally Posted by hcjilson View Post
    I would hazard a guess that Jim Stone has NEVER seen a Transitions lens that didn't change. Even the Transitions 1 changed. If it is true that his occupation is a lab man he probably has learned that even a fatigued Transition lens retains approximately 60% of its ability to darken.
    Why a lab man would make a less than intelligent comment about a product he obviously knows nothing about is beyond me.If he thinks violating posting guidelines will win him any friends on Optiboard he is sadly misinformed........................
    again.
    As for not seeing things, did you read this intire thread, or just skim a couple post?
    Last edited by Jim Stone; 08-06-2006 at 08:48 AM.

  13. #13
    Banned Jim Stone's Avatar
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    My suggestion would be for everyone to visit a qualified optical store and get a pair of transitions AND a pair of polorized.
    And for the optiboard to change the the ad in the top right that says Transitions for 2005. If we can make lenses that change......

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