16 Feb Can I use Photochromic lenses for driving?

Good functional eyesight is crucial in driving. Whether you are driving for necessity or passion you cannot compromise your vision. When a person drives, he is exposed to variable weather conditions, raising concerns about safe driving. The main priority in driving without harm is addressing glare, a frequent cause of road accidents. 

Glare produces when bright light i.e., sunlight is reflected off smooth surfaces and disturbs vision. Surfaces such as roads, wet surfaces, a car’s bonnet, a car at the front, a car’s dashboard, a low sun, etc cause glares when light is reflected off them. This blinding glare is threatening to vision. Photochromic lenses known as transition lenses block dangerous glare and ensure clear visibility when driving.

WORKING PRINCIPLE OF PHOTOCHROMIC LENSES

Photochromic lenses have light-sensitive materials incorporated in them. When exposed to bright sunlight (UV rays) and red color, it makes the lenses go darker. This phenomenon allows an optimum amount of light to enter the eyes that are not harmful. This transition from transparent to dark-tinted is user-friendly and comfortable in variable daylight conditions.

ARE PHOTOCHROMIC LENSES SUITABLE FOR DRIVING?

Most of the car’s windscreens are designed in a way that they block most of the UV rays causing disturbing glares to the driver. As mentioned earlier, the photo-sensitive molecules in the lenses only activate when UV rays are exposed to them and so these photochromic sunglasses are of no use driving during the day inside the car. When driving at night, glares and annoying reflections are caused by headlights and traffic lights or lights from streets that are not considered UV rays. The tinted lenses would cause problems during the night for a person who is already disturbed by halos and glare from streetlights.

HOW CAN PHOTOCHROMIC LENSES BE BENEFICIAL FOR DRIVING?

Disturbing glares caused by road surfaces and headlights during night driving could not be eliminated by photochromic lenses alone. This problem is resolved by combining two optical technologies which are polarizing lenses and photochromic lenses (Transitions XTRActive Technology). They both work together to respond to both UV rays and natural light. Moreover, this combined technique works wonders in different scenarios during daylight. Some types of Photochromic lenses also protect eyes from harmful blue light emitted from mobile phones and other similar gadgets. Check Here.