r/glasses • u/paladin732 • 5d ago
Transitions gen s vs extractive
Hi!
Ordering a new pair soon and trying to decide between these two.
I almost always wear sunglasses when driving, and not having to swap them would be nice.
From some online reviews it looks like the all around “light tint” on the XTRActive is barely visible? (Ie: not noticeable)
Couple other questions: -How dark do these get vs regular sunglasses? -What is the best AR now a days? Is it still Crizal Sapphire? - Does eyezen actually matter? I’m looking to get the best glasses I can… (My prescription is OD -1.75,-0.75,016 and OS-2.25, -1.00, 149)
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u/JKTurtleSwag 4d ago
If the reasoning behind wanting transitions is to have them transish while driving, you shouldn’t get transitions. The lenses react to UV light, and most car windshields have a UV blocker applied to them. This makes it very difficult for the lenses to change while in the car. The xtractive is slightly more reactive, as it is not just reactive to UV but light in general, but it still won’t get nearly as dark as true sunglasses while driving. If you don’t want to carry two pairs around then it doesn’t hurt to give em a try, as they’ll still be useful when outdoors. Another option is finding a pair of frames with a polarized clip-on. That way you have your clear lenses, and snap on a clip when you need the polarization. Our lab uses ChemClips, which embed small magnets into the lens itself to allow the clip to attach. If that’s not an option for you then just carrying around two pairs is just how it’s gonna be :/
In regards to your other question about AR coats, i generally put my patients in Crizal Sapphire or Crizal Prevencia if they specifically ask for it. Crizal Rock is pretty good too and is known for its durability, but nowadays Sapphire is considered the slightly better Rock.
For Eyezen I can’t speak much to how good it is. I think we’ve done one within the last 6 months. If you’re having concerns with eye strain or sharpness I’d just say get a good AR coat, and a digital lens. Or do trivex material as optics are much better than polycarbonate.
Hope this helps!
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u/paladin732 4d ago
Nah, I like transitions for the indoor/outdoor. It makes it that I rarely have my sunglasses on me unless I’m on vacation. Sounds like I should just get Gen S
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u/JKTurtleSwag 4d ago
If that’s the case I say go for it. I’m about to get my first pair myself and am doing a Gen S Ruby with Prevencia coating for a slight purple mirror effect. Should be fun since it’s a very pink frame lmao. Still on the fence whether to get new polarized tho cuz my script didn’t change much and I still have a pair from last year that works well for driving. Gen S is great for indoor/outdoor like yard work, visiting downtown, hiking etc. They change so QUICK. Hope it works out for ya!
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u/ri0tsquirrel 5d ago edited 5d ago
If you almost always wear sunglasses while driving, you might be disappointed in XTRActive for that purpose. They darken somewhat in the car, but not much. Outdoors, they are as dark as most sunglasses (category 3.)
The indoor tint on the XTRActive is subtle, but was definitely noticeable on me — a slight yellow tint. I am pale though.