Darkest Polarized Lenses

[silver_chick_83]

So I am in search of the darkest polarized lenses available. My patient was put in to the Xperio Polarized Lenses, with a mirror on the front, 1 1/2 years ago and says they are too light. Please help me out if you can.

Thanks,

[Uilleann]

Polar lenses aren't designed to be overly "dark" per se. In fact, an overly dark sun lens can in some instances create more problems than the solve for numerous reasons. A common transmission for a sun lens tends to hover somewhere close to 15% VLT +/- 5%. A polar lens will help to eliminate greater amounts of reflected glare and is generally perceived to be as effective (if not more so) than a basic tint in creating a comfortable visual experience outdoors, while not needing to be 'as dark'. A slightly lighter tint further allows the lens to be worn in a wider range of lighting conditions as well, offering an expanded ability to protect and improve outdoor vision. I'm sure you know all this - but perhaps your patient does not?

[optical24/7]

Use Cr39, tint prior to edging. You can make it welding glass dark (not recommended).

[DragonLensmanWV]

Yeah, I once had a lady come in and tell me to make her sunglasses as dark as possible, because nobody had ever been able to make them dark enough. (30 years ago before we used much polarized). She should NOT have told me that. Even after I explained they would be too dark to see into a shaded area from a lighted one, she demanded dark sunglasses.
End result: she had to come in to get them lightened.....twice!:bbg:

[Uilleann]

Ah the joys of a self-"educated" public - always know what's best for them! :)

[sharpstick777]

Use Cr39, tint prior to edging. You can make it welding glass dark (not recommended).

You will have to turn the temp on tint bath down a hair (the bottom end of the manufactures rec), and soak it longer (with "breaks"), and use a tintable hard coat. Otherwise it could delaminate or won't get as dark as you want.

[Look To The Stars]

If you use a NuPolar lens, you can tint it to desired density yourself, before coating/edging.
I just did this with a pair for myself actually. Used a pair of NuPolar 'Brown C' CR-39, and darkened them about 30%, equivalent darkness (by eye) to about a brown #4. They should be in today or tomorrow from the coating lab, where they were getting a gold mirrored hard coat w/backside AR
Apparantly, there were problems in the past with the polarized film de-laminating after tinting, but I was informed by a post on here, as well as our lens rep, that this is not a concern with the NuPolar lenses.
Hope this helps!

[silver_chick_83]

That helps a lot thanks to you all for your insight.

[kaela]

If you use a NuPolar lens, you can tint it to desired density yourself, before coating/edging.
I just did this with a pair for myself actually. Used a pair of NuPolar 'Brown C' CR-39, and darkened them about 30%, equivalent darkness (by eye) to about a brown #4. They should be in today or tomorrow from the coating lab, where they were getting a gold mirrored hard coat w/backside AR
Apparantly, there were problems in the past with the polarized film de-laminating after tinting, but I was informed by a post on here, as well as our lens rep, that this is not a concern with the NuPolar lenses.
Hope this helps!

good to know! I was recently scolded by my lab for requesting such a special request.

[chip anderson]

A potential problem here is that if the lens is tinted before edging, if the edge is wider than the frame the edges are gonna look like a white neon light around the lens, unless you can dye the edges in house.

Chip