The Transitions Drivewear adaptive sun lens goes beyond initial attempts at combining polarisation and photochromics by using each of these technologies to enhance the other’s capabilities.mivision spoke to Mark Rupert, General Manager – Asia Pacific at Younger Optics about the collaboration between these two technologies to create a whole new lens category.
More than half a century ago, Irving Rips had a dream to develop the world’s first “seamless” bifocal. His thinking was that by ridding lenses of the telltale bifocal line, wearers would look younger. And so, in 1955 from a garage in the United States, Younger Optics was born.
Roll the clock forward to 2014 and the company founded by Mr. Rips has offices across the globe, is a world leader in prescription polarised sunwear, and has won 24 prestigious Optical Laboratories Association awards.
Younger Optics teamed up with Transitions Optical to create a unique lens suited specifically for driving – Transitions Drivewear.
“The combination of technology is so advanced, so novel,
that multiple patents have been filed on this invention
Q: What is Transitions Drivewear, and how did it start?
A: 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.
The Transitions Drivewear lens was created by combining Younger Optics NuPolar polarisating technology with Transitions photochromic technology.
One of the unique and special attributes of Transitions Drivewear is that it is the only polarised photochromic lens to darken behind the windscreen of a car.
When exposed to visible light, the lens changes to a copper colour, which many drivers find is the most comfortable colour for driving. This colour was designed to remove excess light and provide good traffic signal recognition.
Once outside the car, the lens is activated by UV and visible light and deepens to a dark reddish-brown
colour. This colour was designed for maximum filtration of excess light and to provide maximum protection from bright light and blinding glare. The brown colour of the lens provides excellent colour recognition with an emphasis on greens, as it’s the most common colour in the natural landscape.
Q: Do you have a typical customer?
A: Customers choose Transitions Drivewear because they can be worn all year round, every day of the year. Transitions Drivewear lenses appeal to both men and women, young and old, who not only drive regularly, but often lead active outdoor lives, enjoying a number of different pursuits including golf, fishing, holidays each year to various locations – in many cases, four-wheel driving and caravans are a key part of the lifestyles of our customers.
The lens is particularly appealing to people over the age of 45 years and about 70 per cent of our customers fall into this category. It is a fairly even split of 60 per cent men and 40 per cent women. We believe it’s because the top priorities of these customers are function and practicality.
Q: Even though your customers prize function over fashion, surely fashion is also important?
A: Of course! While Drivewear lenses are available in a wide range of designs and materials for any scriptable frame, Younger has developed its own line of Transitions Drivewear sunglasses. The range is both classical and elegant and available as prescription or non-prescription.
This collection was developed in partnership with German designers and Japanese luxury frame manufacturers. Our lead designer is Thomas Trauth Design. He is based in Germany and is the winner of the Red Dot Best Design Award.
Thomas Trauth has designed this collection specifically for our target market of the over 45s to complement, rather than compete with, other name brand designer frames.
Q: What do you think will be the new big trend in eyewear?
A: I think the trend for over 45s will continue towards functionality, practicality and longevity. People want more out of their sun lenses than just wearing them for one activity or for a limited number of months of the year. They need to work in multiple situations and be a ‘must have’ when they’re outdoors. The awareness of the benefits of polarised sun lenses is growing which is excellent.
Transitions Drivewear sun lenses are available through most labs with the frames and sunglasses available through selected labs including Zeiss, Shamir, CR Surfacing and Opticare.
Disclaimer
Photochromic performance is influenced by temperature, UV exposure, and lens material. Transitions Drivewear sun lenses are optimised for sunlight response. They should not be used for night driving.
Drivewear is a registered trademark of Younger Mfg. Co. Transitions and the swirl are registered trademarks of Transitions Optical, Inc. ©2013 Younger Mfg. Co.
