This is the revolution, Transitions Vantage!

Revolutionary new Transitions Vantage lenses are designed to both darken and polarize upon UV exposure to deliver noticeably crisper, sharper vision, even in the brightest outdoor light and glare.

On May 1st - 2012, The First and Only Everyday
Photochromic Lenses with Variable Polarization!

There are clear lenses that darken. There are sunglasses that are polarized. But never before have everyday eyeglass lenses been able to both darken and polarize in bright, outdoor light. Until now.

Introducing new Transitions® Vantage™ lenses, the photochromic lenses you know and love plus the added benefits of variable polarization — polarization that increases as the lenses get darker in outdoor light. That means, as Transitions® Vantage™ lenses get darker, vision gets crisper, sharper and more vivid. While glare is reduced in even the brightest outdoor conditions.

We invite you to explore the world of new Transitions® Vantage™ lenses and see for yourself. Meeting your needs – and meeting your patients’ needs – require a true vision for what’s next.

Click the here to see the presentation of Transitions Vantage launch

FAQ

Answers To Frequently Asked Questions.

Q: What is variable polarization?

A: Transitions® Vantage™ lenses will have a variable level of polarization efficiency (how well a lens transmits vertical light relative to how well it blocks horizontal light) depending on the amount of UV exposure. Until now, polarization only existed as a static film embedded in conventional lenses. Variable polarization is a new-generation technology that adapts to UV exposure, orienting to the angle at which light reaches the eyes. In other words, polarization increases and decreases when exposed to UV outdoors and goes away altogether, indoors.

Q: Do they replace original Transitions® VI lenses?

A: No, they represent another choice in everyday lenses for your patients, an additional alternative to the balanced photochromic performance of Transitions VI lenses and superior darkening and in-car performance of Transitions®XTRActive™ lenses.

Q: Why should I recommend Transitions® Vantage™ lenses?

A: They are the only lenses that offer the additional benefits of variable polarization outdoors along with the adaptive-lens benefits millions of patients have come to know and love about Transitions® lenses. Also, wearer test results illustrate just how much patients love this new combination of truly breakthrough technologies.

Q: To whom should I recommend Transitions® Vantage™ lenses?

A: Does your patient currently own and enjoy photochromic lenses? Spend a lot of time outdoors? Is he or she interested in new technologies? Do they see the value of innovative and premium features for everyday eyewear and perhaps even currently wear premium lenses? If the answer is yes to any of these, you’ve probably found a patient who will most likely enjoy Transitions®Vantage™ lenses.

Q: How dark do Transitions® Vantage™ lenses get?

A: Wearers in user testing perceived Transitions® Vantage™ lenses to get darker than Transitions VI lenses. We attribute this to the addition of variable polarization and the fact that Transitions® Vantage™ lenses afford more comfortable, crisper and sharper vision, while also helping to reduce glare.

Q: Are they designed to be worn indoors?

A: Yes. Because they’re virtually clear indoors – and are not polarized in the absence of UV rays – they can be worn as a replacement for ordinary clear lenses for everything from reading and cooking to watching television, working on the computer and beyond.

Q: Do they activate behind the windshield of a car?

A: No. Similar to original Transitions VI lenses, the fact that automotive glass blocks UV rays prevents them from working in a car. But then again, ordinary clear lenses don’t change in a car either. Many of your patients may still benefit from a pair of sunglasses. Another alternative is Transitions XTRActive™ lenses which do activate in the presence of visible light behind the windshield. Ask your patients about those specific features most important to them: variable polarization, in-car activation, outdoor darkness etc. Then recommend the right choice for your patients accordingly.

Q: So they’re not a sunglass replacement?

A: They are not. Everyday Transitions® lenses are designed to replace ordinary clear lenses and to be worn both indoors and outdoors. However, we feel many of your patients will see a benefit from a pair of sunglasses as well. The Transitions line of adaptive performance sunwear is designed to adapt by darkening and changing color to enhance performance during specific outdoor activities.

Q: What about performance under extreme temperature conditions?

A: As with all photochromic technology, Transitions® Vantage™ lenses are influenced by temperature. The colder the temperature, the darker and more polarized they become when fully activated.

Q: Can Transitions® Vantage™ lenses be recommended with premium anti-reflective treatments?

A: They should be recommended in all cases with a premium anti-reflective treatment. Combined, the technologies are ideal for patients looking for the best in enhanced vision.

Q: Can Transitions® Vantage™ lenses help me grow my business?

A: Absolutely. You’ll be providing your patients with a wearer experience like no other while meeting their vision needs at the same time. Like with all Transitions® lenses products, your patients will be quite satisfied which reflects on you and helps you to turn customers into patients and current patients into long-time repeat visitors to your practice.

Q: What about color availability?

A: Transitions® Vantage™ lenses are available in a gray tint only.

• 8 out of 10 patients were satisfied experiencing variable polarization and adaptive technologies together, outdoors.
• 9 out of 10 patients are satisfied with the indoor clarity of the lenses.
• 3 out of 4 patients agree that vision clarity is enhanced in sunny, outdoor conditions.
• 3 out of 4 patients agree that Transitions® Vantage™ lenses deliver crisper, sharp vision outdoors in sunny weather.
• 8 out of 10 agree – they’ve never seen anything like new Transitions® Vantage™ lenses .

Credit : http://www.transitionsvantage.com

DRIVEWEAR - Polarized Transitions Lenses

In the past, clear eyewear was enough. In bright light conditions, polarized sunwear was enough. This is no longer true. Today our lives are strongly influenced by the automobile, which has changed the way we experience the outdoors. We need a third category of lenses in our modern, automobile-centered world. Drivewear lenses are capable of sensing and reacting to varying light conditions both outside and behind the windshield of the car. From bright sunlight accompanied by intense, blinding glare, to overcast inclement conditions, Drivewear lenses provide the wearer with the appropriate visual solution. 

"Drivewear lenses provide glare protection through polarization and enhance and protect vision through photochromics which respond to both visible and UV light. By combining the strengths of two of the most important technologies in eyewear."

SYNERGY COMBINING TRANSITIONS AND NUPOLAR TECHNOLOGIES

Drivewear lenses use advances in Transitions™ Photochromic Technology and breakthroughs in Younger Optics’NuPolar® polarizing technology to create a unique new product. Many attempts have been made to combine polarization and photochromics. These attempts did  ot work because the properties of the lens were not designed specifically to make the two technologies work together in a complimentary and synergistic way. The resulting product did not utilize either technology to its fullest potential or achieve any direct visual  improvements. Drivewear lenses go far beyond these initial attempts by using each of these specific technologies in ways that enhances each one’s capabilities. Drivewear represents the highest utilization of technology of any lens ever intro‑ duced into our industry. Drivewear’s combination of technologies is so advanced and novel that multiple patents have been filed on this invention (for instance, “Eyewear having selective spectral response”, US patent #6926405 and WO 2005/001554)

Lens Design

 TRANSITIONS PHOTOCHROMIC TECHNOLOGY

The photochromic properties of Drivewear lenses represent a breakthrough. In the past, photochromics responded only to UV light intensity. Upon exposure to UV light, the molecular structure of typical photochromics, such as the naphthopyrans, will change orientation, and absorb light. Windshields of cars contain UV blocking agents; therefore, conventional photochromics won’t work. The technology breakthrough needed for Drivewear was to find an array of molecules that would activate in visible light, not just UV light. This would allow for reaction of the molecules behind the windshield of a car.

NUPOLAR TECHNOLOG

The polarization technology of Drivewear also represents a significant breakthrough in the use of polarization. Typically, efficient polarization by absorption only occurs when there are a large quantities of absorbers present; that is, when the lenses are dark. While this is desirable for the times when there is bright sunlight, it does not address lower light conditions particularly during times of overcast weather. Drivewear lenses require a high efficiency polarizer that provides excellent polarizing properties never found before in such a high contrast, light color. This was only achieved by pushing polarized manufacturing technologies to new levels of exceptional performance and light transmittance.

How will be in different light conditions.

Low Light Conditions

designed to maximize useful light information reaching the eye.

In Low Light/ Overcast conditions, Drivewear lenses remove glare and maximize useful light information reaching the eye for optimum visual acuity.

Polarization will remove glare that would otherwise destroy vision in low light conditions.

At low lighting conditions, Drivewear lenses provide high transmission of light to maximize the total information to all the eye’s visual receptors. This results in maximum visual acuity at this low lighting level. The high contrast polarizer removes glare that would otherwise destroy vision in low light conditions. In this stage Drivewear lenses are a high contrast green/yellow color. Simply, there is no better designed lens for either outdoors or while driving under low light, overcast conditions.

Bright light conditions

Designed to both remove excess light and provide good traffic signal recognition; highlighting the reds and greens.

In Bright Light/ Driving conditions (behind the windshield), Drivewear lenses remove glare and control the intensity of light reaching the eye for optimum visual acuity.

Polarization will remove glare for safe driving vision.

During bright light conditions behind the windshield of a car, Drivewear lenses provides lower overall transmission to control light intensity for optimum visual acuity. Drivewear lenses promote preferential activation of the eye’s red cones (and to a lesser extent, green cones) and result in the best possible vision at these higher light levels. Drivewear’s high contrast polarizer is absolutely essential behind the windshield of the car, because it blocks out blinding glare, one of the most dangerous of all driving hazards. Under these conditions, the Drivewear lenses turn a copper color which many feel is the optimum color for a driving lens. This unique behind-the-windshield response protects against bright light and glare and provides better sensitivity to the “visual signal” that is vital for safe driving.

In Very Bright Light/ Outside conditions

Designed for maximum filtration of excess light so that the eye does not get saturated.

In Very Bright Light/ Outside conditions, Drivewear lenses remove glare and provide maximum filtration of excess light for optimum visual comfort and acuity.

Polarization will provide maximum comfort in high light conditions.

In outside bright light conditions, the eyes’ visual receptors, the rods and cones, can easily get “overpowered” and “oversaturated” with light. Under these bright outside conditions the Drivewear lens is designed for maximum filtration of this excess light. It achieves its maximum dark color under these conditions. Here again, it is important to provide maximum protection from blinding glare, and only polarized lenses can do this. Drivewear is designed to provide maximum comfort to the wearer in these high outdoor light conditions. 

Frequently asked questions about Drivewear lenses

Why did Younger develop a lens specifically for driving?

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• As with all its offerings, Younger wanted to create a product that would meet a specific visual need that isn’t being met in today’s market. 
• Although driving is an integral part of our daily lives, it is one of the most challenging and difficult activities a person can engage in – and we need all the visual help we can get. 
• Drivewear lenses offer the consumer far more than just polarized photochromic eyewear – they are the beginning of a whole new lens category.

Who should wear Drivewear lenses?

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• Worldwide, there are nearly 1 billion drivers and the number is growing every year. 
• Nearly everyone of driving age that walks into an optical shop is an ideal candidate and can benefit from the improved vision delivered by Drivewear lenses. 

What is the availability of Drivewear?

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● Drivewear lenses are now available in polycarbonate single vision and Image® progressive; and hard resin single vision, IMAGE® progressive, Flat Top 28 and Finished planos (available through your Wholesale Lab). More in Drivewearlens availability. 

Will all labs have the product or is there a list of ones that have it in stock?

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• Drivewear is available to all Wholesale Laboratories; ask your lab about Drivewear. 

How was Drivewear developed?

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• Younger Optics continues its role as the Optical Innovator with this breakthrough research. Younger looked to Transitions Optical for the latest photochromic developments to enhance the lens performance. • Drivewear lenses combine two of the most advanced technologies in the eyeglass industry today – 

Transitions® Photochromic Technology and NuPolar® polarization.
• Multiple patents have been filed on this invention.

Is a progressive available in Drivewear?

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• Yes, the IMAGE® progressive became available in Drivewear in January 07.

Can I mirror coat Drivewear lenses?

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• Mirror coatings are not recommended since mirrors reflect the visible light and will not allow visible light photochromic activation. 

Can I tint Drivewear lenses?

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• Tinting is not recommended as the product darkens considerably outside. Additional tint could reduce outdoor transmission to possibly dangerous levels.

Can I add anti-reflective coatings to Drivewear lenses?

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• Yes, Drivewear is compatible with most AR coatings.

Is POS available, and how can it be ordered?

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• Materials can also be ordered from your wholesale laboratory or directly from Younger Optics. Contact Robert Lee atrlee@youngeroptics.com

How do Drivewear lenses work?

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• Drivewear is the first polarized photochromic lens to darken behind the windshield of a car.
• Drivewear® Transitions® SOLFX™ lenses feature unique photochromic dyes which respond to visible light in addition to UV light. 

• This allows Drivewear lenses to change color based on current driving conditions in order to enhance the driver’s vision.
• Wearers will have the security of knowing that Drivewear® Transitions® SOLFX™ lenses block 100% of UVA and UVB rays.

• In virtually every daylight driving situation, Drivewear lenses provide optimal visual comfort and safety.

• In low light, the lenses are a green/yellow color which provides high contrast.
• Color is designed to minimize glare and maximize useful light information.
• In daylight (behind the windshield of a car) they change to a copper color, which reduces glare and excess visual light.
• Provides good traffic signal recognition, highlighting reds and greens.
• In outdoor light, they become a dark reddish-brown color, providing maximum comfort in high light conditions by filtering excess light.

• Drivewear lenses also utilize NuPolar, the world’s leading polarized Rx technology, to provide protection from blinding glare.

Can Drivewear be used for night driving?

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• Drivewear lenses are optimized for sunlight response. They should not be used for night driving. Many Vision & Highway Safety experts believe that NO tint should ever be used at night. 

For more information http://www.drivewearlens.com

All about Polarized Lenses!

Vision through normal eye glasses

Polarized lenses are used in sunglasses to reduce glare from reflective surfaces such as the surface of a lake or the hood of a car. They accomplish this feat through a process called polarization, much like a venetian blind controls sunlight through a window.

Sunlight itself is not polarized - light from the sun will either be absorbed or reflected horizontally, diagonally or vertically. The problem this causes for fishermen and drivers lies in the horizontal reflectivity. Sunlight bouncing off a horizontal surface will strike the viewer's eyes at a similar angle. This means the glare from the surface of the water or the road or the car hood will be strong. Polarized lenses have a laminated surface containing vertical stripes. These stripes only allow vertically-polarized light to enter the wearer's eyes. Glare is eliminated because the horizontally-polarized lightwaves cannot bypass the polarized filter.

With Polarized glasses -
Polarized sunglasses cut
 glare and haze so your eyes
 are more comfortable and
you can see better.

How Do Polarized Lenses Work?
Polarized lenses contain a special filter that blocks the reflected light and reducing glare. Though polarized sunglasses improve comfort and visibility, you will encounter some instances when these lenses may not be advisable. One example is downhill skiing, where you don't want to block light reflecting off icy patches because this alerts skiers to hazards they are approaching.

In addition, polarized lenses may reduce the visibility of images produced by liquid crystal displays (LCDs) found on the dashboards of some cars or in other places such as the digital screens on automatic teller (bank) machines. With polarized lenses, you also may be unable to see your cell phone or GPS device. Boaters and pilots also have reported similar problems when viewing LCD displays on instrument panels, which can be a crucial issue when it comes to making split-second decisions based strictly on information displayed on a panel. However, for most other sports and activities, polarized sunglasses offer great advantages. And today, many polarized lenses are available in combination with other features that can enhance outdoor experiences.

Glare from the water surface
 blocked by vertical polarizer

Whether you spend your time waterskiing or boating, in-line skating or mountain biking, driving or jogging, polarized sunglasses may be the right choice to help you enjoy your life outdoors.

Why are polarized sunglasses better than normal dark sunglasses?

Normal sunglasses decrease the intensity of everything by the same amount. Polarized sunglasses can selectively eliminate the reflection from light coming from above the water surface.

Could polarized glasses be crystal clear?

No, they will always decrease the intensity of unpolarized light by at least half. In practice somewhat more because of losses in the material.  They come in all shades from light gray (only polarizing) to very dark (polarizing plus black tint), and also light sensitive (photochromatic).  You can even find sunglasses with darkness adjustable by the user.

Do polarized sunglasses help see fish and rocks below the water surface?

Yes. First, if there is glare, they help a lot by reducing its blinding effect. Second, even without glare they selectively reduce other reflections from objects above water, including clouds and even the sky (the reflected sky gives most of its blue color to the sea). Finally, light coming from under water is slightly polarized in the vertical plane (polarized on transmission). The end effect is that the water seems darker but more transparent! But remember, it only works if you look at the water at some angle and not straight down.

Does it matter the time of the day?

Yes. Maximum polarization is obtained when the sun is at about 37 degrees from the horizon (in theory 100% polarization at the Brewster angle). If the sun is very low or very high the sunglasses will be of little help in filtering the glare in calm seas. A rule of thumb would be that polarized filters limit the glare from calm waters for a sun altitude between 30 and 60 degrees (but see next question). Anyway, it should be stressed that polarization won't help in looking directly at the sun (except in decreasing the overall intensity of everything by half).

Does it matter the choppiness of the sea?

Yes. When the sea is ruffled the sun reflection becomes the familiar glitter, an elongated pattern of shimmering water stretching towards the sun. Because different parts of the glitter are reflected from different wave slopes, the degree of polarization varies from place to place. In those conditions the sunglasses will also help for high or low suns and the benefit will depend on where you are looking.  As a side note, the width and length of the glitter together with the altitude of the sun can be used to compute the height of the waves without ever getting close to them!

How do the polarized sunglasses help when driving a car?

Those pesky bright reflections of the sun on the cars ahead can sometimes be attenuated a good deal. They tend to be horizontally polarized, thus perfect for vertically polarized sunglasses.  The reason is that the surfaces that you see on the car in front of you (the back window, the trunk door, and even the roof) will be slanted towards you, while the sun will be more or less aligned in the vertical plane through both cars (if not you wouldn't see its reflection from those surfaces). However, if the sun is relatively low behind you, the sun rays will be near perpendicular to the reflecting (vertical) surfaces which won't polarize the light.  The sunglasses will help more with the reflections from the glass than from the metal as the former are polarized to a higher degree.  What about the brightness of the road itself?  That light is also partially polarized, but by scattering (as opposed to reflection).  The direction of polarization will change with the direction of the road with respect to the position of the sun.  The rule is that the polarization is tangential to a circle centered on the sun.  That means that if the sun is in front, behind, or high above, the road brightness will tend to be horizontally polarized and the filter of the sunglasses will provide some help.  However, if the sun is to one side, the polarization will rotate vertically, the more so the lower the sun happens to be.  Of course, if the road is wet you get the same anti-glare power than at sea.

Can polarized sunglasses help in skiing and other non-water sports?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. The snow glare is not polarized, so they won't provide extra help in that regard (although often advertised for that purpose). But, with the sun high, the air-light (haze + sky) near the horizon is polarized by scattering and the polarized sunglasses can make features far away really stand out (this is used in fire detection). On the other hand, with the sun low the sunglasses could be detrimental looking south or north, as the air-light would be vertically polarized. Other situations can be thought were they would be useful, but remember that one reason they are so good in water sports is that the reflector always remains horizontal!

Can I use my 3-D polarized glasses for fishing?

Not a very good idea.  The filters on those glasses are oriented at 90 degrees to each other, almost always at +/- 45 degrees with respect to the line joining the temples (generally the transmission axis points down towards the nose).  Thus, horizontally and vertically polarized light will be attenuated equally.  In addition, you can get a bad case of dizziness: the left and right eyes may see polarized objects with very different intensities, confusing stereovision and resulting in vertigo (the same effect as produced by the glistening of the snow).  It wouldn't be very kind to give them to your mother-in-law the next time she invites herself to your boat.

Advantages of Polarized Lenses

Features

• Filters glare
• Enhances contrast
• Reduces squinting
• Constant density tints
• Backside AR compatibility
• Tintable and coatable
• Lightweight
• Thin

Benefits

• Reduces eyestrain, greater comfort
• Improves visual acuity, provides safety
• Eyes feel rested
• Realistic perception
• Reduces reflections and enhances visual clarity
• Certain lens materials can be darkened and provides limitless colour options
• Comfortable Attractive-looking sunwear

Ref: wisegeek, allaboutvision, polarization,spectacleworld, ehow, nightdrivingglasses