TRANSITIONS OPTICAL INTRODUCES NEW GOLF-SPECIFIC PRODUCT CONCEPT FOR SUNWEAR LINE
PGA TOUR Players Hit the Greens to Put New Product to the Test
PALM HARBOR, Fla., March 18, 2009 – Transitions Optical, Inc. is developing concepts for a new sunwear product designed to improve golfers’ performance by providing them with the best possible vision on the course. The product concept was announced today during the 2009 Transitions Championship, held at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club.

Like all Transitions SOLFX™ sunwear products, the concept uses Transitions Optical’s advanced photochromic technology to provide players with the right color and tint for optimal performance in varying lighting conditions. The new product is designed to provide high contrast in low light conditions – then move to a darker, color-neutral shade to reduce glare and provide optimal vision in bright light conditions. Using specific color absorption, the new product will allow players to have an enhanced, accurate read of the green, and better contrast between the golf ball and grass.

“From reading the contours of the course, to judging distance, to eye-hand coordination, vision plays a critical role in enhancing a golfer’s game – and having eyewear that can adapt to varying light and playing conditions can greatly impact performance,” said Lawrence D. Lampert, O.D., F.C.O.V.D., and sports vision specialist and trainer. “For example, yellow and amber tints have been shown to improve contrast in certain conditions. The right tint, combined with the sight-enhancing benefits of the Transitions photochromic technology, makes an ideal sunlens for any golfer.”

Transitions is currently testing the new product with several PGA TOUR players, who will wear the sunlenses while on the course to determine how the tint and technology impact their performance. On the course, the product is designed to enhance contrast by muting the green color of the grass, enabling players to easily see the ball. The product will also enhance the ability for players to see on-shadowing effects and read the ups and downs of the golf course for improved putting and driving. Additionally, because the product provides a higher transmission in the blue portion of the spectrum, the sky appears a deeper shade of blue, which may make it easier to track the ball in flight. On the course, polarized lenses can often limit a golfer’s ability to detect which way the grass is laying, so the new golf product concept is not polarized.

Trevor Immelman – a PGA TOUR member and Healthy Sight Ambassador for Transitions – recently tested the new product.

“Whether on or off the golf course, my choice for everyday eyewear is Transitions® lenses, because they reduce glare and improve contrast to help me see my best,” said Immelman. “Using color and tint, the Transitions golf sunlenses allow me to better see the things I specifically need to when on the golf course – like the lay of the grass and the break of the green.”

For more information about Transitions SOLFX sunwear products and updates on new products visit www.Transitions.com/Sunwear.